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#lowkey this is like...the best thing i've written all year
lowkeychenle · 9 months
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Like We Just Met [ZCL] (M)
Description: Everything else about the day is completely normal when Chenle realizes he wants to marry you. It hits him like a tidal wave, and he's itching to tell you just how much he wants to love you forever.
Genre: Fluff (literally SO MUCH FLUFF we love Chenle in this house go away if you don't) // Smut
Content Warnings: Explicit unprotected sex (it's actually sweet this time am I feeling okay), talks about marriage etc etc. Nothing really dark or upsetting in here.
Word Count: 11,292 (y'all I have no idea how this happened...)
Pairing: Zhong Chenle x Reader (feat. the rest of the Dreamies)
ISTJ 7Dream Series Masterlist
Juliet's Masterlist | Requests/Tell me what you think of this plz <3
Tag List (open for ISTJ 7Dream Series): @kunvibing
Author's Note: Lowkey? This was so fun because it's from Chenle's POV...or it's supposed to be haha. This is probably my favorite fic I've ever written catch me crying in the corner...also this gif don't mind the real tears in my eyes
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Nobody questioned Renjun when he said he’d invited his friend to dance practice. They brought friends in every now and then, so it wasn’t anything new. Chenle was having a bit of an off day. He kept screwing up the choreography (that he’d done seven hundred times probably in the past week alone) and even accidentally elbowed Jaemin.
Renjun’s friend had yet to show up. Chenle was beyond frustrated with the way things were going, so he let everyone know he was taking a break. He grabbed his water bottle and stomped out of the practice room.
He ended up a bit down the hallway, resting his back on the wall with his eyes closed. All he needed was a break. That had to be it.
“Are you okay?” a soft voice asked.
When he looked at you, he recoiled a bit. He’d never seen you before—he’d definitely remember—but something about you felt familiar. Like a warm aura surrounded you and infiltrated him in the best ways.
“You’re Chenle, right?” You tilted your head at him. “I’m Renjun’s friend, (Y/N). I was supposed to watch practice, but I got lost. This building is pretty big.”
“Yeah, I’m Chenle.” He blinks at you a couple more times. “Um, we’re always in the same practice room. I’ll take you over there.”
“Actually, is there a place to get some water? I forgot mine at home.” You scratched the top of your head and scrunched up your nose. “It was really hot outside.”
“It’s on the way.” He gestured down the hall with his head.
You followed him without hesitation. He was acutely aware of every step you took, of how there was only a few feet between the two of you. Even though he had no clue what to say to you, you didn’t mind walking along in silence. It was unlike him to be shy. Next to impossible for him to be starstruck.
“How long have you known Renjun for?” he asked. And why the hell had you not come around sooner?
“Oh.” You took a deep breath and pursed your lips in thought as Chenle stopped to grab you a water bottle from the kitchen. “Four years now? Five? His family knows mine, so when I came back here, his parents told him he had to help me find my way around.”
“Well, today’s pretty laid back,” Chenle explains. “We’ll probably practice for another hour or two and then go home. We’ve been at it all day.”
You hum in response, opening the cap and taking a sip. “Thank you for this. Sorry to keep you from practice.”
“Don’t be. I’m ready to get the hell out of here.” Chenle chuckles, gaze drinking you in when you’re distracted by your water. “And…they can be a little…much at first. But they’re all great people, so you’ll be fine.”
“Bold of you to assume I’m nervous.” You narrowed your eyes at him playfully.
He bit back a smile, pressing his lips into a thin line instead. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“Renjun has given me plenty of warnings,” you tell him.
He wasn’t sure why he hadn’t taken you to the practice room yet. The two of you stood in the kitchen, but he knew the second you were with everyone else, the conversation was over. He didn’t want to stop talking to you, and that odd feeling of warmth settled into his chest.
“Like what?” Chenle raised his eyebrows.
“He said you’re cranky and mean.” You smiled at him, and he swore he was almost knocked off his feet. There was something about you that drew him in.
Chenle made a mental note to scold Renjun later, but he’s not necessarily wrong…he was cranky until he saw you.
“Well, in that case, what he said about everyone else is probably accurate, too.”
“You don’t look cranky,” you interjected. “You’re not mean either. Mean people don’t get strangers water bottles.”
“I’m mean to Renjun. And Jisung.”
“They’re your friends. You get a pass for your friends.” You slid one of your hands into the back pocket of your jeans, rocking on the balls of your feet as silence befell the room.
“They’re waiting for me,” Chenle says. “We should go.”
You nodded in agreement and followed him. He sulked a bit when the other members were introduced to you. They were all nice—because they always were—but when it came time to get back to practice, he found himself gravitating toward you several times.
Nearly every time he looked at you, you were already looking at him, too. Maybe it wasn’t just him that felt the weird tug. He hoped it wasn’t.
After they wrapped everything up, Chenle sat against the back wall, feeling so heavy as if he could fall asleep right there. He was exhausted.
Jaemin, Jeno, Donghyuck, and Mark were already on their way out the door, leaving Jisung to slump next to Chenle and Renjun to talk with you. Jisung noted how he was watching you, but he didn’t say anything right away. He drank his water and stayed quiet.
You said something to Renjun, who smiled at you and nodded. He headed for the door and waited for you outside. When Chenle realized you were coming over to him, he shot a worried glance over at Jisung.
“Would you look at that?” Jisung cleared his throat. “Time for me to go.”
Before Chenle could even grab him, Jisung was halfway to the door. Once you were in front of him, you sat down and crossed your legs.
“You did really well today.”
He chuckled. “I think that’s the worst I’ve done this comeback season.”
“Then you’re in pretty good shape.” You shrugged, picking at the seam of your jeans. “I wanted to thank you. For helping me earlier.”
“It wasn’t that big of a deal,” he said. “You’re Renjun’s friend. Of course, I’d help you.”
“Right.” You brushed your hair over your shoulder and prepared to stand up. “I should go—”
“Will you be coming back?” The question shot out of his mouth, sending a blush to his cheeks in response.
“I’m not sure,” you told him. “That’s up to Renjun I guess. It was really cool to see how passionate you guys are.”
“Let me give you my number.” Chenle grabbed his phone from his pocket. “Um, just in case you get lost again. And need help finding the room.” He cringed at himself, hoping he wasn’t going to get rejected.
“Yeah, I’d like that.” You gave him the tiniest smile, but it made his heart flutter anyway.
He handed it to you with the contact app open. You didn’t even hesitate to type in your name and number. After, you sent yourself a text, and Chenle heard it ring in your back pocket. You gave it back to him, grinned, and left him sitting there in shock.
He couldn’t choose between staring at you as you left and looking down at your contact open on his screen. His stomach twisted with nerves, but the second he saw the smiley face emoji you’d put next to your name, he already knew.
You were going to be someone to him.
Mark drops something in the kitchen, snapping Chenle out of it. He looks at you, and you smile back at him. With you pressed into his side and your legs over his lap, he can’t help but grin right back.
His hand rests on your thigh, thumb sliding gently back and forth as he presses a kiss to your temple. He’d never get used to this.
After returning from the kitchen, Mark allows the game to resume. His nose scrunches as he glances between you and Chenle. “That’s a weird ass question.”
“Not weird.” Chenle shakes his head. “Critical thinking, Mark, you should try it.”
“Oh, be nice.” You shove his shoulder.
For a while now, Chenle has felt his feelings growing more than he thought possible. He’s already in love with you (thankfully, since you’ve been together almost a year now), but something about you lately has him on a whole other level. Even then, he’s not sure what it is. He decides he’ll ride it out for a while and see where it takes him.
“Why would you ask your girlfriend what year she’d take a time machine back to? Shouldn’t she be like…happiest now?” Mark asks, sipping on whatever mixed drink he’d prepared in Chenle’s kitchen.
“You’d think.” Chenle snorts, leaning back against the couch and throwing his arm around you.
“He asks me questions like this all the time,” you tell Mark. When you steal a glance at your boyfriend, his breath catches in his chest.
What the hell is going on with him lately? He can’t concentrate around you (even more than usual) and every tiny thing you do has his heart hammering against his ribcage. Soon enough, he’s sure you’ll both hear the bones crack.
“Has anyone, by chance, ever told you two that you’re gross?” Mark chuckles to himself and leans back in the recliner. “Some of us are single and lonely, you know.”
“Some of us will never be that again,” Chenle shoots back.
“Oh, you two are the worst.” Your laugh echoes pleasantly in his ears, and he subconsciously leans closer to you.
“I am curious what your answer is, though,” Mark interjects. “Since Chenle’s so sure.”
Chenle takes a sip of his own drink, nearly cringing at the bitter taste dragging down his throat. He’s not much of a drinker—social at best. But he can still appreciate the buzz and the hazy happiness that comes with it. You take his hand that dangles over your shoulder, twirling the friendship ring wrapped around his middle finger. The action is so, so simple, yet it makes his stomach turn.
If he doesn’t figure out what the hell’s going on with him soon, he’s gonna have to separate himself from you.
“Well, you’re right.” You shrug, shuffling closer to Chenle. “This part of my life has definitely been the best. But if I could go back to any time, it would probably be when we met. You only get to meet Zhong Chenle once in your life, dude. I’d do it over and over again if I could. The second I saw him, I knew he would be important to me.”
Chenle thinks back to the moment he first saw you. The way he couldn’t keep his eyes off of you like an actual child or the way he took in every detail of you to store in his mind forever—just in case he never got to speak to you again. He pauses, eyebrows furrowing slightly as he analyzes your answer.
Mark groans. “That doesn’t count! That was last year.”
Grabbing the pillow next to him, Chenle throws it at his friend. “Leave her alone, it was a good answer.”
But when he contemplates that thought, he’s not sure he understands what you mean. His ears burn, the tips of them turning red as he recalls how embarrassingly nervous he was around you all the time. How awkward all of your firsts together were. Everything now is so much better than back then.
Not to mention he’s looked at you the same way since that first night. His feelings for you have grown, sure, but those butterflies he used to get still torment him just about every time he sees you smile.
“Why?” Chenle finally asks.
“You were so cute,” you hum, shifting closer to him. “Everything made you nervous. You almost keeled over in embarrassment when you asked to hold my hand.”
Mark laughs, and Chenle sends a glare his way. No part of that is even anywhere near funny.
“Okay, it's your turn.” Mark gestures at you.
Chenle resists the urge to reach over and touch your face. Usually, he’s so much better about being so clingy in front of his friends and, while he would prefer Mark not seeing this side of him, he couldn’t care less when his gaze is locked with yours.
“Cool.” You nod, taking a sip of your drink. “Both of you. Hypothetical situation. Let’s say you’re drunk. You walk into a room and everyone you’ve ever loved is in there. Like…loved. Who are you going to?”
“Dude.” Mark’s jaw drops. “That’s such a shitty question for me.”
“You’ll live,” Chenle replies. “Just romantic love?”
“All of it. Platonic, romantic, family.” You purse your lips in thought.
Chenle doesn’t have to think about it. Not really. He’d rather get struck by lightning and then hit by a bus right after before admitting that so easily in front of Mark. In this case, it’s always been you. From the second you spoke to him for the first time, he was irrevocably yours. 
“You.” Chenle watches your eyebrows raise.
“Be serious,” you say. “Your parents are included in that.”
“I’m serious. You.” Chenle chuckles.
You give him a pointed look, but that’s when Mark cuts in.
“No, he’s for real. Like…that legitimately happened.” Mark leans forward, elbows digging into his thighs as he rests his head in his palms. “Do you guys not remember?”
“What are you talking about?” you ask him, frowning.
Chenle remembers. Barely, and it’s a bit foggy, but it comes back like a baseball bat upside the head as Mark starts telling the story.
Chenle’s birthday party last year. The night was barely halfway through and he was drunk enough to be stumbling over his feet. He’d heard you were coming, but he had yet to see you. Even when every other feeling was numbed by the tingling sensation the alcohol left behind, his craving to see you was all that remained. 
Mark walked next to him, having a full conversation with himself since Chenle was so fog-brained. As much as he loved Mark, there was only one person he wanted to see. Everyone he knew and loved was here—his parents, the rest of his group, and Jisung had somehow forgotten to uninvite Chenle’s ex.
He only ever dated one person before you, but he wasn’t sure he ever loved her. Regardless, there she was. Even with her standing across the room from him, he kept waiting like a lost puppy.
When you walked in, he swore the whole world stopped around him. Everyone but you was moving in slow motion before they eventually faded into nothing, darkness that was emphasized by the light you were. His breath caught in his throat, and he stopped walking.
Chenle couldn’t form a coherent thought while he stared at you, drunken stupor making it so much easier to forget the embarrassment. Mark watched him curiously as Chenle made his way over to you. He refused to waste any more time when he knew you were the one he wanted to talk to.
You had always been more confident around him than he was around you. Your face lit up when you saw him, wrapping your arms around him. He secured you in his grasp, breathing in the scent of your hair and the perfume you wore.
“Happy birthday.” Your voice is muffled a bit by his T-shirt. “Sorry I’m late, took a bit longer to get ready than I thought it would.”
He knew he should’ve let you go. People were starting to notice the way he was clinging to you, and not even being drunk could excuse that behavior. He was about ready to tell everyone except you to leave. Nothing else mattered. If he could spend his birthday with you, it would be the best one yet.
It’d been two months since Renjun had introduced you to the rest of them. Which means, he’s only known of your existence for two months, and you already command so much of his brain matter that he can’t think of anyone but you. Great.
He finally (reluctantly) let you go and led you over to the rest of the group. Nobody said anything when he made Mark scoot over so you could sit next to him. Nobody questioned it. His parents would ask him about it later, but until then, there was no reason for him to worry. After all, his crush on you was the most obvious thing in the world, so it was only a matter of time before you found out about it.
By the end of the night, he hadn’t spent enough time with you. People were starting to shuffle out, but you stayed, chatting with Renjun until only four remained. Chenle’s parents had gone to bed long ago. You were almost caught up to him on drinks, your laughs longer and your movements slower.
Under any other circumstances, he wouldn’t have been as brave as to walk up to you and ask you to stay the night. He didn’t mean it in a suggestive way, either. He just didn’t want you to leave yet.
“Chenle,” Renjun scolds, swatting his shoulder. “You can’t ask something like that so casually.”
“You want me to stay here? With you?” Your voice was higher than normal. Chenle accredited it to the alcohol raging in your system.
“I like when you’re here.” Chenle nodded. “You make everything calm.”
Renjun scrunched up his face, slamming his forehead into his palm. “(Y/N), you should probably go home—”
“No, it’s okay.” You brushed him off. “I’m okay with staying.”
Oh, he was in love with you. There was no other explanation for the way his heart skipped a beat when those words came out of your mouth.
Chenle doesn’t remember the rest of that night, but he does recall waking up next to you in the morning and freaking out. Alcohol made him brave, but it didn’t save him from the red-hot embarrassment of the next day.
“I didn’t even realize…” you trailed off, a small smile forming on your face. “You picked me.”
“I’ll always pick you,” Chenle responds easily, like second nature.
Mark decides it’s time for him to leave, but Chenle’s mind is still reeling with memories. With all of the firsts you said you wished you could relive. But no matter how hard he tries, he can’t figure out what the fuck this feeling is. As the two of you climb into bed, he’s so distracted, he can’t fall asleep, even with you curled into his chest.
“(Y/N),” Chenle groaned when he saw you in the practice room mirror. “You gotta stop showing up here if you don’t want me to fall in love with you.”
It was a joke. Sort of.
“Right, and let you forget to eat? I think not.” You fought back every time, unphased by the way he so casually admitted he’s starting to fall for you.
At least, that was his idea of admitting it.
You walked over with the bags in your hand, sitting down on the practice room floor next to him. 
“I haven’t even been here that long,” Chenle defended himself. “I would’ve eaten after I left.”
You unloaded the contents, opening boxes. “I can go if that’s what you want.”
“Not what I said.” For some reason, he felt a sudden burst of courage. He’s known you for four months at this point, and something about today felt…right. “I was serious, you know.”
“About what?” You grabbed the drinks from the carrier.
“You.”
“What?” You recoiled, looking at him in confusion.
He contemplated telling you to forget it. That it didn’t matter, and thank you for the food instead. If you didn’t feel the same way for him, he’d be devastated. And then you’d leave him for good and take all the food with you. He was starving.
“If you keep doing nice things for me, I’m gonna fall for you.” As if he hasn’t already.
You paused, but Chenle didn’t miss the blush on your face. Clearing your throat, you looked away from him and took a deep breath. His fists clenched as he awaited your rejection, but the longer the silence stretched, the more he felt you might want him to.
“Don’t say things like that if you don’t mean it,” you finally said and brushed your hair behind your ears. Reaching forward for the food again, you gave Chenle a shocked look when he grabbed your wrist.
“You’re right. I’m not going to fall for you. I already did.”
Your jaw dropped, eyes widening as his words settled in the air around both of you. With his heart racing, he released your wrist and intertwined your fingers instead.
“I really, really like you.”
“You should really eat your food before it gets cold.” You pulled your hand from his and pushed the box closer to him.
He stared blankly at the wall, noting the sudden chill on his skin that you left behind. A sinking feeling encapsulated his chest, and he knew he ruined everything. You looked like you were ready to run.
“Forget I said anything,” he told you. “I’m sorry if that was weird.”
“Eat,” you commanded again. “I’m not talking about this with you until I know you’ve eaten. If you don’t, we’ll go off on a tangent and you’ll be starving all night.”
“Does that mean you—”
“Yes, Chenle.” You interrupted him. “Yes, I really, really like you too, which is why I want to make sure you eat.”
At that moment, Chenle realized that if he walked outside and randomly dropped dead, he’d be okay with it now that he’s gotten that confession out of you. There wasn’t a damn thing that could top that. Everything else in life would be subpar to today, so there was no point in trying.
You and Chenle ate in silence. He kept stealing glances at you, catching you doing the same to him. If all he had to do in order to get you to talk about your feelings with him was eat, he’d do it, albeit probably a bit too fast for his own good.
Chenle runs his fingers through his hair, his thumb tracing gentle shapes against the bare skin of your arm. These memories have no business popping up in the middle of the night. He has practice tomorrow. He’ll be so off his game, the other members will want to kill him.
Usually, he has no problem falling asleep, especially with you right beside him. Over the past year, you’ve probably spent more nights with him than you have at your own place. He teases you for it all the time, but he wouldn’t have it any other way.
Closing his eyes, he listens to the soft sounds of your breathing and allows himself to feel the way your body slots with his so easily. Everything about you is perfect. About the two of you together. He would toss and turn, but no way is he going to disturb you. Even if he can’t sleep, he’d never screw up your schedule on purpose.
“It’s so pretty.” You were in awe, staring at the sunset from Chenle’s backyard. He’d set up a picnic date for the two of you, and afterward, you were watching the sun fade below the treeline while lying on top of a red blanket.
His fingers were intertwined with yours, something that had become so normal for you. Two weeks since his confession, and it was the second date he planned. He wondered, obsessed over, even, what your thought process was on all of this. Were you happy? Did he make you happy?
He wanted to kiss you when he confessed to you. And while he came close to it on your first date, he decided against it. It had to be perfect. Nothing was good enough for you in his mind, especially when all he wanted was to make sure you knew just how he felt about you.
How was he supposed to tell you that?
He’d already said he fell for you, but that didn’t begin to cover it. Not really. You made him want to put in effort, made him crave your happiness like it was the very oxygen he breathed. At the same time, he didn’t want you to think he didn’t want to kiss you. Hell, he’d already dreamed of it, for fuck’s sake, so that definitely wasn’t the issue.
Lost in thought, he’s only snapped out of it by the way you rolled over, lying on your stomach so you can get a good look at his face. You rested your head on your right palm, your left finding his bicep.
“You’re so perfect,” he hummed, twirling your hair with his fingers. “Could look at you forever.”
“Some people might have an issue with that.” You laughed.
“We’re the only ones that matter,” he responded.
Your smile slowly faded, a look of longing replacing it as your gaze softened.
God, he wanted to kiss you. He needed to.
All thoughts of the perfect moment have fled from his brain. Any moment would be perfect as long as it’s you.
He sat up and you leaned forward, and before he knew it, his nose brushed yours. Your eyes fluttered shut in preparation. The heat of the sun sank into his skin. Your perfume wafted from you, intertwining with the air and suffocating him in the best ways. If he could pick one scent to smell for the rest of his life, it would be yours.
Was it normal to have these thoughts so early?
Why was he thinking of that right now? Literally the worst possible time.
“Can I?” he whispered, scared to ruin everything.
“Yes.”
As soon as the word left your mouth, he kissed you. Everything about you was soft, so he shouldn’t have been so surprised to find your lips the same way. His hands shook as he touched your waist.
He was already in big trouble. There wasn’t a single part of him that wanted to stop there. His heart thudded so loud, he was halfway sure you could hear it, too. It felt like sparks flew between you two, absolute electricity coursing through every single one of his veins, heating up his bloodstream and making the thought of pulling away from you the absolute worst case scenario.
You moved away first, gasping for breath. Chenle craved tugging you back to him. His body reacted to you in ways it had never reacted to anyone else. He didn’t want to take it too far, but he sure as hell didn’t want to stop, either.
He couldn’t describe the way you felt. The way you tasted. Everything about you was so heart-achingly perfect, he wanted to experience you all the time. He wanted to rewind time so he could kiss you again for the first time, and he’d do it over and over and over again.
Something about first kisses set him on fire. He was absolutely sure he’d kiss you more. In fact, he was seconds away from it. But the adrenaline coming from the very first brush of your lips on his wasn’t something he’d ever be able to recreate.
“Again.” You leaned in once more.
He met you in the middle eagerly, hand finding the back of your head before he turned you so you were lying on your back. Half of his weight pressed against you, but he did his best to keep himself lifted up so you weren’t uncomfortable.
Unforgettable heat swarmed him, the sun caressing his skin as your fingers gently traced down the back of his neck. Goosebumps formed, but he could hardly pay attention to them. The entire world was gone, and you were everything, the only person remaining in a sea of nothingness. He wanted you. Needed you.
This was technically your second kiss, but in his mind, it was still the first since they happened almost at the same time. He hadn’t stopped to take a breath in much too long, but he’d rather suffocate than separate from you.
He stopped when your breath hitched, completely lost in the sound. When he wasn’t focusing on your mouth anymore, he realized why—his hand had somehow found its way to your upper thigh. His face burned as he removed it.
“I didn’t…” he trailed off, scanning over your face for any hint of what you were feeling. “I didn’t mean to do that.”
You chuckled at him, pushing his shoulder. “You wish that excuse would work on me.”
The sky faded into a beautiful lilac color, the kind that only appeared when the sun was barely peeking over the horizon. Clouds drifted effortlessly, stars beginning to shine.
“Should we go inside?” Chenle asked. “It’ll get cold without the sun.”
Whenever he looked at you, he knew you were different. He couldn’t place how, but nobody else had ever made him feel the way you do. Like his heart was going to burst out of his chest while simultaneously stopping and also skipping every other beat. He didn’t even know how he was alive anymore.
In the last two weeks since his confession, the boys had told him how much happier he was. How he was striving with more effort lately and trying his best at any given moment of the day. You were his motivation. You made him want to be the absolute best he could be, and even as new as the relationship was, he’d already known you for months—he was nervous about you deciding you wanted something else. Someone who wasn’t him.
The moment before replayed in his head, and he heard that breath hitch on repeat while he awaited your answer. He did his best to stop thinking about it, but nothing worked. All he wanted to do was kiss you again, over and over and over until the literal end of time.
“Yeah.” You nodded. “Let’s go inside.”
His cheeks redden just thinking of that memory. The first time he ever kissed you, and he royally fucked up because his hand didn’t know how to stay put. At this point, it’s clear he’s not going to be able to fall asleep. He hates the idea of leaving you in bed alone, but he’s only going to disturb you if he doesn’t plan on sleeping.
Sliding away from you carefully, he quietly gets up and heads into the kitchen. He runs his fingers through his hair. His hands down his face. He must be sentimental today, because he can’t stop thinking about you for the life of him. Every memory from the last year pokes at his head, and he has no clue how to handle it.
Patting his cheeks, he heads over to the fridge to grab a water bottle. Photos of the two of you are framed up on the wall. There’s one picture in particular he always says is his favorite, but he refuses to tell you why.
The two of you were sitting on the floor, and you had the cutest glare on your face. He sees the adoration gleaming in your gaze even though you look about ready to strangle him. In your defense, you probably were. He lets out a tiny laugh, tracing over the frame. 
There’s even one with Chenle between you and Jisung, and a group picture with you and the boys. Chenle loves his friends dearly, and the way they’ve welcomed you with open arms says a lot about both your relationship with them and his potential future with you. Everyone in his life loves you. You’re the one they call when Chenle’s upset or if he’s off his game, and no matter when or where this is happening, you show up to make him feel better.
He could be having the worst day of his entire existence, and a simple ‘I love you’ passing from your lips has him forgetting everything shitty about the world. Looking back at the pictures, he’s drawn back into memory.
He heard the birds outside his window before he saw the gleaming sun. His eyes fluttered open while he groaned quietly at the sudden change of brightness. Your body was like a fireball, your skin searing hot against his, but it did little to bother him. His groan turned into a sigh of content, and he wrapped his arms around you tighter. Fingertips trailing down your bare spine, he kissed your forehead.
Three months together, and every night spent with you made him fall deeper in love. He’d never known peace as he did at that moment. No interruptions, just the two of you basking in each other’s embrace.
He could’ve stayed like that forever—he wanted to, but glancing at the clock, he realized how close it was to noon. Jaemin would be there soon, and the last thing Chenle needed was him in his house when you were naked in his bed.
He reluctantly got up, dressing himself before grabbing some clothes for you. You have a drawer, multiple, actually, but he picked his own T-shirt for you to wear. When he made it over to you, you were stirring.
“You got up.” You pouted at him, staring at him through half-closed eyes. “And you have clothes on.”
Chenle laughed. “Sorry, love. Jaemin will be here soon.”
“It’s that late?” you asked.
Chenle nodded, setting the clothes down next to you. He kissed you softly, gently, a kiss so barely there it left you leaning forward to try to continue it. Cupping your cheek, he brushed his thumb along your skin.
You didn’t need help getting dressed, but he did it anyway. He loved the way you looked in his T-shirts, and even though it’s long enough to cover you, no way he’d risk it. Once you were finished, the two of you got ready for the day. You brushed your teeth together, he watched you brush your hair, and by the time you’re done, Jaemin was walking in the front door.
The three of you sat on the floor around Chenle’s coffee table, playing a game. He can’t remember what the game was anymore, only that you were terrible at it and that he loved winning.
Jaemin teased both of you the whole time, ruffling Chenle’s hair on multiple occasions. As much as he’d love to deny it, Chenle enjoyed that Jaemin liked the two of you together. It was almost like an affirmation, even if he didn’t need one.
Being the professional picture-snapper he was, Jaemin took the picture now hanging up on Chenle’s wall. You, with your arms crossed over your chest and a big pout on your face, and Chenle, smiling widely at you with such adoration in his eyes it should’ve been impossible.
“Lele?” Your soft voice breaks him away from his memory. He turns to you quickly, heart instantly halting in his chest when he sees his shirt on you.
“What are you doing up?” he asks.
“I was gonna ask you that.” You rub your eyes, feet shuffling on the floor as you walk over to him.
“I couldn’t sleep,” he replies and takes you in his arms with ease. “Didn’t want to bug you, sunshine.”
You don’t respond. All you do is bury your head in his chest and breathe him in. He runs his fingers through your hair, kissing the top of your head. With all the lights off, the only illumination is the full moon outside as it casts shadows on the ground. The faint blue makes you that much more ethereal to him.
“You okay?” he whispers.
“Mm,” you hum in response. “This is nice.”
Chenle smiles. “Yeah, it is. Always is.”
After a bit of silence and rocking you gently, an idea sparks. He pulls his phone out of his pocket, finding the playlist he made specifically for when he thinks about you, and sets it on the counter. You stare at him in tired confusion, but when one of his arms wraps around your waist, you catch on.
“What are you doing?” Humor is laced in your voice, but the sweet look on your face tells him his actions are making you happy. That’s his goal, constantly. All he wants is to make you happy.
“Checking something off the bucket list,” he replies, slowly turning you to the soft beat.
“Something’s missing,” you say as he twirls you.
He steals a glance at the way his shirt rides up your legs, showing just a peek of your panties beneath it.
“What?” he asks, pulling you back to him.
“Sing to me.” You place your hand on his chest.
His heart betrays him at that moment. It rages, and he knows you can feel it. Chenle sings in front of thousands of people all the time, but something about you is different. Something about you right now is different.
“What’s going on up in there?” You run your fingers through his hair. “You’ve been all weird today.”
“I can’t stop thinking about you,” he admits. “Everything. From the moment we met up until this…it keeps repeating over and over again.”
“Welcome to my world,” you replied, grasping his shoulders. You massage them gently as you sway along with the music.
The confession from you makes him smile. At least he’s not the only one doing constant circles in his head. He calms a bit, and when a new song plays, he sings to you. Your body immediately relaxes into his, as if every stress you’ve ever had has left you without hesitation.
Chenle loves to sing. He does it all the time, and he only wants to keep getting better. To have someone like you as his partner, someone who supports him endlessly and genuinely loves his voice…it’s unparalleled.
He’s not sure how long the two of you are like this, or how long he’s singing for, but song after song, all he knows is that you’re smiling. You’re looking at him with unmatched adoration in your eyes, pure love. Nobody else has ever looked at him in this way, and he doesn’t want them to.
He wants to stay here with you and watch you love him in ways he’s never been loved before.
He stops. His singing fades out, and he furrows his eyebrows as he finally, finally realizes what’s been happening to him. You tilt your head, able to ask him questions without saying anything. His chest feels like it’s going to burst.
You’re it. 
You’re everything, and he’s going to marry you.
He’s going to spend the rest of his life striving to make sure you love him as much as you do right now, if not more.
It seems like you feel it, too. Your face softens and you reach up to trace along his cheekbone. He leans into your touch, chasing the warmth like it’s the last time he’ll ever feel it.
“I…” He takes a deep breath, shaking his head slowly. “I’m so fucking in love with you.”
“I know.” You grin so wide, Chenle almost thinks it’ll split your face in two.
“Good.” He brushes your hair behind your ear. “I hope I’m doing a good job in showing you that every day.”
You pause, hands trailing down from his cheeks to his shoulders. “I have never once doubted that you love me, Lele. Are you sure everything’s okay?”
“I promise you I’ve never felt better,” he replies. “Just checking in with you.”
“You do so much more than you realize. No matter how busy you are, you text me to tell me you love me or that you’re thinking about me. You practice non-stop with the boys but you still make an effort with me when you could easily use that as an excuse. There is not one thing I could ask for that you don’t already do.” You press a quick kiss to his lips. “I’ll never doubt you.”
“Sometimes I worry,” he admits. “You make me…want to be better. In every way possible. In my career, in my life, with you. And if I’m not being better every day, then I don’t deserve you.”
“Chenle.” You give him a pointed look. “When I think back to the first day we met, I remember how…how you acted from the first time you spoke to me. At the time, I really thought I was crazy, but I knew you’d be someone to me. You didn’t even know me, but you were so kind. And now that we’re here like this, you haven’t changed. There’s no getting better. You’re already the best.”
“How do you do that?” He chuckles, kissing your forehead.
“Do what?”
“Know exactly what to say.”
“That’s my special talent,” you tell him.
“We should get back to bed,” Chenle says, sleep weighing on him. “Meeting the boys tomorrow.”
He grabs his phone from the counter, his heart full and warm as he leads you back to his bedroom. This time, as he’s lying with you pressed to his chest, he’s able to fall into his dreamland.
Despite his lack of sleep, Chenle is full of energy the next day. He wakes up and makes you coffee just the way you like before sitting on the edge of the bed by your sleeping form. When he sets the cup on the nightstand, you stir, turning over to face him.
“You’re gonna be late,” you mumble, even though you have no idea what time it is.
Chenle chuckles, leaning forward to kiss your forehead. “I’ll see you in a bit, okay? You can stay here if you want. Wanted to tell you I love you before I left.”
“Love you, too,” you say with a tired smile, giving his hand a squeeze.
“Drink your coffee before it gets cold. I’ll grab dinner for us on my way back.”
Walking away from you feels like someone’s trying to rip his heart out of his chest. You’re an extension of him at this point, and after his sudden realization last night, all he wants to do is spend the day curled up with you.
Luckily for him, his day passes by pretty quickly. He got a lot done today, and he was proud of that. You’d be proud of him, too. He’s itching to get home and tell you everything that happened. Staying true to his word, he picks up your favorite takeout.
He’s going to be honest with you about what was going on with him yesterday. It’s the right thing to do—and in a perfect world, you’ll feel the same way he does. He hasn’t felt this nervous since he admitted his feelings for you. Even though that side of him feels worlds away now, he remembers it like it was yesterday.
But the restaurant isn’t the only stop he makes.
He’s shaking by the time he gets back. Is a year really enough time? It is for him, but what if you think he’s insane?
When he arrives, he’s not expecting what you’ve done at all. The main lights are off, but a dim golden glow from the strips along the wall and the candles illuminate the room enough. He sets the bag down on the table, completely forgetting about the food as he searches for you.
“(Y/N)?”
“You’re earlier than I thought you’d be,” you tell him, walking out of his bedroom while still putting in an earring.
His throat dries. He opens his mouth to speak, but no words could ever justify the way you look right now. You put on a dress, one of his favorites, and he’s in jeans and a T-shirt.
You kiss his cheek. “I figured you deserve something nice to come home to.”
“You’re my something nice.” He wraps his arm around your waist. “Should I change?”
“We’re not going anywhere.” You shake your head. “Just relax and enjoy your gorgeous girlfriend.”
“Oh, I can get on board with that.” He allows you to lead him back to the table.
Once he’s taking the food out of the bag, he keeps stealing glances at you. You put in all this effort for him, and he knows how much work it must’ve been to hang up all these lights. The golden glow looks ethereal against your skin.
“Before we eat, there’s something I wanted to talk to you about.” He clears his throat to stop it from collapsing in on itself, but it doesn’t work.
“What’s up?” You set your elbow on the table and rest your head on your palm. “Is everything alright?”
“Everything’s perfect, actually.” He takes a deep breath, reaching to grab your free hand. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” You bite back a laugh.
“You can’t make fun of me for what I’m about to tell you.” He gives you the most serious look he can muster, and you nod.
“I wouldn’t do that,” you reassure him. “Tell me what’s on your mind.”
“I…I want to love you forever.” He gulps. “And when I think of everything we’ve gone through and been through together, I seriously can’t imagine ever trying to have anyone else fill this spot you hold in my life.”
You perk up a bit, gaze staring into his. God, he loves how interested you are in what he has to say. How you’re listening to him so intently. His thumb rubs over your knuckles as he tries to think of the words he wants to use.
“I want to marry you. Call me crazy if you want, tell me you hate the idea, that’s fine, but I had to tell you. We obviously can’t get married now, or probably any time soon because of my contract, but I want you to know that it’s what I want. It’s what’s going to happen if you want it, too.”
You clear your throat and cover your mouth with your hand, eyes welling. Chenle’s heart aches seeing this reaction, knowing you feel as strongly as he does. He reaches into his pocket and puts a small box on the table in front of you.
“It’s not the real thing. Not yet. But I want you to know how serious I am, because if I was able to marry you, I would’ve done it yesterday.” He opens it, revealing a simple band in it. “Subtle enough where people won’t ask questions, but we’ll know.”
“Chenle, are you being serious right now?” You sniffle. “This is a very cruel prank.”
“The guys and I sat down together today to write a song. I think you’ll love it, so when we record it I’m sneaking you a copy. Anyway, we were there for twenty minutes, and words were just flowing out of me. I wrote about you. About how you make me feel, and I think anyone who knows about us will understand that when they listen to the song.”
He pauses to swallow past the lump in his throat.
“I want you. I want to marry you and spend the rest of my life proving to you why I deserve that. Let me put this ring on you, and this can be the start.”
You quickly wipe your face as you nod. He takes your left hand, grabs the ring out of the box, and slips it on your middle finger.
“One day, this will be real.” Chenle catches another one of your tears. “I love you. There is not one thing in this world that could change that.”
His heart pounds in his chest as he watches your reaction. He wants to touch you and kiss you after pouring his thoughts out to you, but he needs to make sure you’re feeling the same way. The last thing he wants to do is overwhelm you.
His palms are sweaty and he can barely sit still. You groan, giving one last aggressive swipe below your eyes before you launch up from your chair and end up in his lap. You bury your head in his neck, squeezing him tighter than you should. He instinctively wraps his arms around your waist, softly chuckling at your outburst.
“You better not change your mind.” Cupping both of his cheeks, you try your best to look angry. “If you do, I’m marrying you anyway.”
His own vision blurs at the sight of you. You love him as much as he loves you, and you want to be with him forever.
You want to be with him forever.
The emotions rioting inside him surprise even him, and he blinks quickly to try and suppress the tears. It’s no use, because as soon as you notice, you start crying again. He groans and drops his head back on the chair, squeezing you closer to him.
“You’ll be the death of me,” Chenle says.
“Kiss me, you idiot.”
He doesn’t need to be told twice. His mouth finds yours, both of you falling into each other’s rhythm. Saltiness from your tears lingers on your lips. He weaves his fingers through your hair, but no matter what he does, you’re just not close enough.
Pulling away from you, he rests his forehead on yours. “You should eat, sunshine.”
“You expect me to be able to eat after all of that?” You furrow your eyebrows. “I’m afraid that’s not possible.”
“You’ll be sad if it gets cold,” he reminds you.
“I don’t think I’ll ever be sad again,” you whisper.
All thoughts escape him. Nothing else exists except for you, wrapped around him like a damn koala bear. He rests his hand on your thigh and lets your words sink deep into him.
Moments like these are hard to explain, he thinks. He’s only like this around you, so lost in his connection with you that he’s got nothing else on his mind. Anything and everything you say to him is tattooed in the darkest ink on his soul, until he’s covered in everything he wants to be for you.
“Promise me you’ll always look at me like that.” You break the silence, running your fingers through his hair and smiling.
“I promise.” He nods, barely realizing how he’s leaning forward.
Your eyes flutter shut as he inches closer. He kisses you softly, almost as if he fears he’ll break you. His fingers splay out across the small of your back and he traces shapes into the soft fabric of your dress. You’re overwhelming. His love for you is, too. So much so, he feels as if he’s going to burst out of his skin. He’s going to wake up and everything will have been a dream, because there’s no way he’d ever done anything in his life to deserve someone like you.
You hum into his mouth, rolling your hips once. His breathing stutters as his first instinct is to lift toward you. At first, he wants to stay like this, you clinging onto him like you’d be lost without him, but when you grind down a second time, he feels a twitch in his pants.
It’s been over a week since the last time he’s been inside you thanks to his schedules. And now you’re on top of him, wearing his favorite dress of yours, and kissing him like you’ll never be able to feel him again after tonight.
He’s tired, but he’s never too tired for you. Brushing your hair away, he leans down to kiss your neck, licking the expanse of your soft skin. Your pulse thunders beneath his tongue, and he has to fight the urge to bite down.
Touching you like this is different when he knows he’ll never lose you. You’re his forever.
His lips press against the sensitive spot below your ear, and the short moan escaping you just about sends him up the wall. When he pulls away to get a good look at you, your eyes are dark, lips already swollen from the way he kissed you.
He tries to catch his breath while he silently asks you if this is what you want. You nod, wrapping your arms around his shoulders. Standing, he lifts you up until your legs are secure around his waist, and he grabs your ass with one hand and the back of your head with the other.
Mouths attached, he doesn’t separate from you until he’s setting you down on his bed. He barely has time to appreciate the candles you lit in here, too, the soft scent of vanilla flooding his senses. You already try to push his T-shirt up, anything to feel his skin on yours. He obliges, pulling it over his head before returning to kissing you like his life depended on it. When your hands find the button on his jeans, he grabs your wrist.
“Patience, baby.” Chenle runs his fingers up and down your thigh. “We have the rest of our lives. Let me take my time with you tonight.”
Just like that, you’re putty in his hands. He smirks at the realization. Sneaking his touch up your leg, the hem of the dress moves to accommodate him. He stops when he feels the lace of your panties.
“Did you dress up for me twice, sunshine?” he hums.
“Always,” you say, shamelessly staring at his lips. “Do you love me, Chenle?”
His whole body vibrated from those words. They made him feel at a frequency he hadn’t quite reached yet, and all he wanted to do was rip that damn dress off.
“More than anything.”
He can’t really say it’s ‘like second nature’ anymore. There’s nothing second about it. This is you. Anything to do with you is first nature, no matter what it is. His world revolves around you, everything he does is based on what you want, and he wouldn’t change that in any way.
“Show me,” you whisper, so intoxicating he almost crumbles to his knees right in front of you.
How embarrassing that all it takes is two words to have him give in to you. He’s straining against his pants now, his cock aching to be free and buried inside you.
“Don’t worry. I will.” He kisses you again, soft and sweet like his hand isn’t so, so close to your dripping, eager core. Heat radiates from you, and all he wants is to be consumed by it.
He drags your panties down your legs, nails gently scratching your skin on the way down. Your chest rises and falls quickly as you try to regain your breath, but he loves the way you’re so desperate for him. The way you want him just as much as he wants you.
He doesn’t want to be patient anymore. Every cell in his body is urging him to connect with yours, but he wants to take care of you. That side of him always wins, otherwise both of you would probably be done already.
His finger dances along your entrance. He inhales sharply as your wetness coats his skin. You move your hips toward him, practically begging him for stimulation. He teasingly nudges your clit, pleasantly surprised by the way your body jolts.
Mouth brushing yours, he takes the second of distraction to slide two fingers inside you. As your lips part to release a moan, he mirrors the action, eyes fluttering shut as he slowly, slowly thrusts his hand.
Your walls squeeze so hard, he curses. He could fuck you a thousand times, and you’d still be as tight as you are right now. His heart goes straight into overdrive, but all the blood in his body is shooting down to his cock. He’s painfully hard, rocking back and forth gently.
He kisses you, lips working against yours in a perfect harmony. Your sounds are his favorite. He loves knowing it’s him making you feel this way, that he has the power to make your knees weak and your pussy throb.
He lets out a moan when he scissors his fingers, trying his best to prepare you. God, you’re so warm and wet and tight, he isn’t sure if he’ll be able to last long tonight. His pace quickens, sounds of your slickness filling the room.
You call out his name, back arching as you grasp desperately at his shoulders. He leans in and kisses your cheek, making sure to press his palm into your clit every time he’s knuckle deep. 
“You’re perfect, baby,” he whispers with his lips against your ear, voice rough. “I love you so much. So fucking much.”
You tense, pussy clamping down hard on his fingers as your hips buck. He swears he can see the pleasure running up your spine in the way you arch and shake. Your nails dig into his shoulders, but he’s not in the right mind to care. Your mouth opens, sounds pouring out as you finish. He loves you all the time, but one of his favorite looks on you is when he watches you orgasm—your face so overcome with pleasure he caused…he would never get enough of it.
He keeps moving until he’s sure you’ve come down from your high. When he brings his fingers up to his mouth to suck your juices off, you watch longingly, the dark look in your gaze enough to have his cock twitching in his pants.
You slide off the bed, forcing him to take a couple steps back. He’s not sure what you’re going to do at first. Your struggle to reach your zipper, and as much as he wants to bend you over with the dress still on, he wants to be gentle with you tonight. He doesn’t get to make love to you often, and that’s all he’s going to do tonight.
Instead of watching you attempt to reach it, he turns you around and pulls you to him until your back is against his chest. His hand is splayed out across your stomach, holding you so you feel how hard he is.
“I’m going crazy,” you mutter, dropping your head back. “I need you so bad.”
He moves your hair out of his way, kissing the base of your neck quickly before he unzips you. Moving slowly on purpose, he lets his finger drag along your spine on the way down. You shiver, pushing yourself back into him.
“I’m gonna make love to you.” He finally lets himself bite down on your shoulder as he nudges the straps down. “For the rest of our lives. Nobody but me.”
“Nobody but you,” you respond, allowing the dress to pool at your feet.
He turns you around, hands immediately finding your ass and squeezing it. Within seconds, he has your bra unclasped and across the room. “So beautiful.”
When your hands find his jeans, he doesn’t stop you this time. You push them down his legs, desperate to have him inside you. Once his jeans are off, you palm him through his boxers, and he needs you so badly, that simple touch almost finishes him off. That would’ve been embarrassing.
He takes off the remaining fabric separating you two before leading you over to the bed. You lie in the middle, and he climbs on top of you. He kisses you passionately, tongue already dancing with yours, both of you more than ready. His cock is so hard, he’s only half convinced he won’t cum as soon as he’s in.
He nudges your clit with his leaking tip, moving down to your entrance to apply just enough pressure before pulling away. You whine, desperate for more.
“Chenle, please.”
His head dips down as he continues teasing you, wrapping his lips around your nipple. You whimper, running your fingers through his hair. Having you so desperate for him makes him want to give you everything you’re asking for, but something makes him wait.
“Please,” you cry out, lifting your hips up. “Need you.”
He’s ready to fall apart from you words alone. Pulling away from your chest, he reaches down to line himself up with you. He watches you closely as he pushes his throbbing cock into your quivering pussy. Your eyes roll back as you arch into him.
Your walls swallow him, velvet clamping down on him. He clenches his jaw as he bottoms out and fists the sheets next to your head.
“So perfect,” he whispers, kissing your jawline.
One of his favorite things about you is how unafraid you are to look at him. Pleasure weighs on your eyelids, and you try your best not to close them, but even like this, you never look away.
He’s fully inside you, his cock seated within your fluttering walls. The last thing he wants to do is overwhelm you, so he gently rocks his hips to help you adjust. He kisses you everywhere he can reach.
“You always take me so well,” he praises you, nipping the base of your neck.
He’ll never get over how perfectly he fits between your legs, like this space was made for him.
“Move,” you tell him, smacking his shoulder.
He lets out a soft chuckle, but lowers his mouth to yours as he starts a steady pace. You squeeze him so tight, it’s like your body doesn’t want to let him out of you. He pulls out until his tip is barely inside, and then pushes back in just as slowly. It wreaks havoc on your body, your wetness squelching every time he moves.
He wants you to feel all of him. Feel the entirety of his cock rubbing your walls with every thrust.
Somehow, it’s hotter this way. A thin sheen of sweat covers his skin as he takes his time with you. Sure, he gets sweaty when he fucks you, but nothing compares to the close intimacy of love making—his chest brushing against yours with every thrust, long, sweet moans filling the otherwise quiet bedroom.
“You sing so pretty,” Chenle mutters, tonguing the sensitive spot below your ear. “You like the way I feel?”
Before he can even process what you’re doing, you wrap your legs around his waist and roll until you’re on top of him. He’s flat on his back, eyes flitting along your body like he hasn’t had a real chance to see it yet.
Candle light illuminates your skin, and the sight makes his cock twitch. He runs his hands along your sides, squeezing your hips.
Chenle likes being in control. He likes guiding you in a way that has you both in shambles by the end, and he truly underestimated how beautiful you’d look on top of him. You lift up, teasing him as slow as he was moving with you, but between the sight and the feeling, he feels an all too-familiar tingling sensation at the base of his length.
It’s too soon for him, so he decides to tug you down, holding you there while his eyes close and his head thuds against the mattress. He doesn’t need to say a word to you.
“Chenle.” You stroke a hand down his chest. “It’s okay. You don’t need to hold back for me.”
“Just…need a second.” He gulps.
When he finally catches his breath, he sits up, chest pressing against yours.
“This was supposed to be about you,” he says, moving back slightly to fit his hand between the two of you. “Showing you my love and everything.”
He finds your clit with his thumb, staring at you intently as your wetness makes it easy for him to rub circles. His other hand still firmly grips your waist, which only allows you to squirm instead of bouncing on him like you crave to do.
“I need to move,” you whimper, grinding down. “Please.”
He nods, loosening his grip on you. You brace yourself on his shoulders, finally taking his cock the way you want it. His nails dig into your thigh while he continues his work on your bud, and it only spurs you on. You move faster, no doubt trying to chase your orgasm.
His moans get louder, matching yours. If his hands weren’t so occupied, he’d want to squeeze your ass or tweak your nipples. Anything to bring you higher. He changes the patterns his thumb rubs, and it’s like a jolt of electricity runs through your body.
You curse, dropping your head on his shoulder as you nod. “Don’t stop, Lele.”
With both of you hanging so close to the edge, he waits until you’re sitting back down on his cock to buck his hips up. He doesn’t want to finish first, but he’s so close, all the warning signs of his impending high are getting far too real.
“Gonna cum,” he tells you, releasing your thigh to grab your ass.
Your walls clamp down on him hard, a long, pleasured sound escaping you as you grind down on him. Back arching, your head falls back. Your orgasm hits both you and Chenle like a freight train, and within seconds, everything inside him explodes, and he’s spilling his cum deep inside you while telling you over and over again that he loves you.
You crumple into his chest. He runs his fingers through your hair, whispering praises to you between head kisses.
“I’m gonna lay you down, sunshine,” he says.
You nod, and he turns you so he can put your back on the mattress. He carefully pulls out of you, putting his boxers back on before going into the bathroom to grab you a towel. This is one of his favorite ways to see you. Your eyes are closed, hands on your cheeks. You look like he’s fucked all the energy out of you, and he loves that he has the capability to do that.
He cleans you up, then grabs a clean pair of panties for you and one of his T-shirts.
“I have an idea,” he says.
“What is it?” You wrap your arms around him.
“You pick whatever movie you want, and I’ll go warm up your dinner?” He raises his eyebrows at you.
You fake a gasp. “Are you saying you’re going to feed me in bed?”
“After all of that, I’d agree to just about anything you want.” He chuckles when you shove his shoulder. Grabbing your hand, he twirls the band on your finger. “Wait here for me?”
When he walks out of the room, he stops at the doorway to watch you excitedly lunge for the remote. It doesn’t take long for him to warm up the food, turn off the lights, and blow out the candles in the kitchen.
The rest of the night is spent with the two of you sitting against the headboard, laughing along to your favorite movie while eating your favorite takeout. So many thoughts have come and gone from Chenle’s brain in the past couple days alone, but he’s more than happy he gets to sit here with you every night for the rest of his life.
He’s lost in your laugh and the way you smile at him and how you make his heart race with the simplest things. None of the other members knew about the ring he bought you, but he’ll tell them soon.
After the food is gone, Chenle cleans it up. There’s still half a movie left, so when he gets back, he pulls the comforter back so you can cuddle up to him for the remainder. Even though the candles have long since been put out, vanilla still clouds the air.
“Love you,” Chenle whispers, kissing your temple.
“Love you, too.” You sigh in content, resting your head on his chest.
He knows that means you’re only seconds from sleep, and he rubs your arm soothingly. The movie continues to play, but neither of you are paying attention anymore—you’re asleep, and Chenle’s thinking about what kind of wedding dress you’ll wear.
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boba-beom · 4 months
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・゚゚・。 my beautiful girlfriend | WEN JUNHUI
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pairing: idol/actor!junhui x ff!reader // genre: oneshot; hurt, comfort, angst(?) // warnings: petnames; (baby and love), misunderstanding, overthinking, crying, lowkey self-depricating, proofread quickly. // wc: 1.6k
a/n: merry christmas <3 @honajoong hii lex!! I'm your secret santa :> despite starting a little late, I wanted to be involved as well and I got you!! I will admit I struggled to write for junhui since he's the first seventeen member I've written about, but hopefully I think I managed to grasp his characteristics(?) 🥹 I hope it's okay!! also 'yn yln' is 'your name' and 'your last name' :>
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Two years. Two whole years since jun asked to be your boyfriend. Two whole years since you started supporting him through his acting career. But never in your two whole years together were you jealous about his co-stars or fans. You've always been hidden away from the public, not going to any events together. Not even getting barricade tickets for his and his group's concerts for the sake of not getting caught somehow.
It's always been like that though. But that's because no one knew about your relationship, not even the rest of his group members.
Jealousy has never been an issue for you until you read an article regarding jun's new upcoming Chinese drama. See, this was new to you. Usually you'd be excited; treating him to order take out from his favourite place, or buying him small gifts to add to his collection of other things you got him within your relationship.
As you read article after article the majority published about how jun and his co-star make such a good couple. Some even published pictures of them together at the premier event they recently attended, while others are scene captures from the said drama.
There was this one picture you saw that made your heart drum disturbingly loud in your ears, not because of the photo itself but because of the comments regarding it. Your eyes dart from comment to comment, 'Wen Junhui and ____ have incredible chemistry', 'A new couple in made in the industry?', 'I hope they're dating in real life.'
Your breathing pattern becomes ragged from the thought of feeling like you're hindering Jun in his life. If you were just making things difficult for him since you were no one but a regular person who works a 9-5 job. In times like this, which was rare, you had no one but yourself to console you.
A single tear runs down your cheek which has you vigorously wiping it off your face, refusing to let yourself become so weak because of this.
You see a text appear from the top of your phone, a text from your boyfriend asking how you were and letting you know when he'll be home, but a part of you felt like you were sinking inside. All these comments getting to your head about Jun and his co-star, but you know you shouldn't think that way. Besides, you never used to think that way initially.
Thinking that it's best to sleep off the thoughts gathering in your head, you grab the folded blanket beside you on the couch, splaying it over you as you play music from the t.v, hoping that would help you get your mind off it.
Hours pass, the living room dim from the lack of light but only from the t.v itself. You pick up your phone to check the time, and while you were asleep, you received multiple texts and a missed call from Jun; all the messages asking if you've eaten, what you want to watch later in the evening, and so forth.
However, you didn't feel like messaging him back, or even calling him back either. You thought your nap would rid of the uncomfortable overthinking, but it just has you questioning, 'why is he even with me?' He could pick any other girl, but why did he choose you. He has a beautiful co-star with incredible chemistry, why doesn't he just ask her to be his girlfriend instead—
"Yn?" Jun's voice echoes in the room and cuts off your trail of thoughts.
You refuse to turn your back and greet him, instead, you pick up the remote and search through films to watch as if he wasn't calling your name again.
"Hey, did you get my texts? Have you decided what you wanna eat tonight?" Jun asks again, caressing the top of your head and missed as he tried to kiss the top of your head, but you flinched away.
"Not hungry." You reply curtly.
He could sense something was off, not wanting to think too much into it, he lets it slide as he goes into the bedroom for a quick shower and change of clothes. He hasn't seen you behave this way before, wondering what possibly could have happened recently to tick you off. His mind was thinking of every possibility but to think of articles since his shoots for the drama were quite a while ago.
As he walks back into the living room, you're still sitting in the same spot on the couch. He walks around the couch to sit beside you, lifting the side of the blanket to share, but you take it off and let him have all of it instead.
Jun turns his head to look at you, a questioning expression on his face yet you don't turn to look at him. A straight, unbothered face is what he sees as your eyes are stuck on whatever movie you put on the t.v.
"Is everything alright? I feel like I've done something wro-"
"Everything's fine." You lie, cutting him off and not wanting to think about it anymore. For the first time in a while you almost didn't want to be in his presence for the sake of keeping sane.
"Well it doesn't sound fine." He turns his body, attempting to test the waters as he places a careful hand on your lap. This time you don't flinch.
You sigh. Pausing before you answer him honestly, "Because it's not."
"Love, how am I supposed to know what's bothering you if you won't tell me straight?" Jun's hand starts caressing your thigh in attempt to comfort you and allow you to open up to him, like you usually do.
You try to gather your thoughts and stare at one spot, but nothing in particular, on the t.v as your breathing becomes uneven. It's difficult talking about a feeling you never thought you had to ever talk about, but it was bound to happen at least once in your life. And that was this current moment in time.
A stuck, choked up feeling in your throat starts to erupt as you struggle to find the words to say, leading to you struggling to stop yourself from tearing up out of frustration.
You explain about the articles you've read about him and his co-star, the ones headlining and the comments you've seen. Your breathing hitches a little while you're talking, and Jun couldn't help but scoot closer to you with his arm around you.
"I tried my best to not let it bother me, but it was a lot to take in. I'm sorry." Jun wipes away at your tears, listening intently as you continue, "I know it's your job, I understand if I'm being unacceptable and if you don't want to be with me anymore."
Tears are non-stop streaming down your face, also because you're mad at yourself for becoming so weak and letting this get to you in the first place. You feel Jun's hand resting on the middle of your back, rubbing it with comfort.
You continue letting out your hushed cries, burying your face into his chest with muffled sorries leaving you. Jun's never seen you cry so much and his heart drops at the sound of your irregular breathing pattern in attempt to stop yourself crying. How could you stop when he hugs you tight momentarily, slowly swaying you side to side as he rests his cheek by your temple.
"Hey, hey. It's okay." He cups your cheek, pulling back to hold your face close to his. "You know you're always going to be the one for me. I'm sorry that hiding our relationship has been difficult, I know. I want to let everyone know that I'm yours, but right now it's a little tricky, and I know that's no excuse but I swear I will let people know. Sooner than later, I promise."
Your sobs quieten down, a little exhausted from the thoughts occupying your mind the whole day. But you respond with a slow nod and a tight lipped smile as you both shuffle on the couch and lay your head on his chest as his hand finds its way to skim up and down your back once again.
・゚゚・。 ・゚゚・。 ・゚゚・。
It's been a few days since Jun had comforted you. Your phone pings from a notification about another article that had just released with the headline reading, 'Wen Junhui breaks rumours about dating co-star and is a relationship with Yn Yln"
You read it once more. And another time, expecting there to be hate thrown at you, but there was nothing but love and support from Jun's fans. It was entirely different to how you thought they would take it, but you're just grateful that it didn't go that way at all.
Your boyfriend's tall figure walks through the door with a bouquet of flowers, not even a couple of minutes after you had read the article, and he's making his way to you sat by the breakfast bar.
His subtle smile curves his lips as he holds the bouquet out for you. While you, on the other hand, are pouting; worried that it might ruin his career and receive potential hate, but Jun was unbothered. He was certain about it.
"You didn't have to do that, Jun." You insist, receiving the flowers from him. "I don't want this to affect your career."
He stands by your knees as you face him, towering over you ever so slightly.
"I wanted to let them know. I can't keep hiding this relationship forever," he kisses your forehead as his hands plant on your shoulders, giving them a tight squeeze. "And honesty, as much as I love to keep you to myself, they need to know that you're my beautiful girlfriend."
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© BOBA-BEOM ; do not repost, alter, translate, or claim as yours on here or any other platform.
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tags: @lovejoshua @junniieesbby @flwrseon
permanent taglist: @choiwrld @yjusei @wccycc @lizdevorak @fairybin @laylasbunbunny @acaiasahi @ttyunz @cha0thicpisces @fairybinie @ja4hyvn @yunkiwii @aprilisque
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hamiltonaf · 1 year
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Seeking His Attention | Lando Norris
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Pairing: Lando Norris x Female Reader
Word Count: 1.9K
Warnings: None
A/N: This was written quite a while back on Wattpad so I thought of posting it on here. Due to it being written ages ago, there will be no sequel unfortunately. However, there’s more one shots to follow. Hope you guys enjoy .xoxo
When the doorbell rang, I assumed it would be no one else but the girls. I opened the door and was greeted by just who I thought it would be, "Hey girls" I smiled. "Hi (Y/N/N)" they greeted back as they gave me a hug. Lando stood behind them with a smile on his face. "They won't be staying the night" he said as he crossed his arms over his chest. Ciska rolled her eyes whilst Flo made her way into the house.
"Why not ?" I asked as I raised a brow. "They have some thing at school tomorrow morning" he said. "Ohh okay then that's fine" I gave him a small smile. "Yeah I guess I'll see you later then, have fun" he said as he ran his fingers through his hair. He was all dressed to go out and he didn't even mention a word about where his going...wow some best friend he is. "Thanks. You too" I waved him off as I went inside and shut the door behind me. Ciska and Flo stared at me as my back was against the door. "Tomorrow's Saturday" I said confused.
"That it is" Flo said. "Do you'll really have to go to school tomorrow morning ?" I asked in confusion. "Nope" Ciska answered. "Then what was his deal ?" I asked as I raised my hands. "You'll find out later tonight" Flo said as Ciska laughed. "Oh god well I hope you'll are right" I said as I shook my head and started walking to my room.
They trailed behind me which my bestie was quick to stand up and greet them since she was familiar with them. We decided to play a few board games such as Ludo and Monopoly which I won or dominated by the way. Oldies are goldies.
After playing a few games we decided on watching a movie, it was hard for all four of us to come to a decision but finally we decided to watch High School Musical for like the tenth time.
Just before the introduction I decided to scroll through my Instagram for a quick minute so that I didn't miss anything important.
Lando's Instagram story was the first to pop up on my list and I was lowkey eager to see what he was up to. He had posted a video of his friend trying to imitate him and surrounded by him were not only his guy friends but a few girl friends as well. My heart actually dropped at the thought of him being romantically involved with one of them and me not knowing all this time, especially thinking that I had a chance for the past 2 years.
Directly after he had reposted another girls Instagram story, it was her attempt of Carlos and Lando's 'beat drop challenge' which just made me cringe since the song didn't even get to the beat, and instead her and the friend in the video were just trying to look pretty...pathetic.
Me being curious, I decided to do some snooping through this girls account. I've noticed both Oliver and Lando follow her. Lovely. She appears to be a model, even better. Looking at a few of her posts I see that Lando already liked a few of them. One post she's seen to be naked and has a 'wet' look as if she just came out of the shower, mans had the audacity to comment a bathtub emoji on her post. Smh.
"(Y/N/N) the movie is about to start" Flo said as she nudged me. "Are y'all seeing this shit ?" I said as I continued to scroll through her posts. "Who's that ?" Ciska asked as she looked over my shoulder. "Oh I don't know, maybe your future sister-in-law" I said sarcastically. Both of them stifling a laugh, even my best friend. "Oh my god no" Ciska said. "She's pretty though" my best friend piped. "Not what I need to hear right now, thanks" I faked a smile.
"This chick didn't even do the challenge correctly and your brother gives her some fame on his story plus making her feel important by commenting, and liking her photos" I scoffed. "Awww is (Y/N) feeling jealous ?" (Y/F/N) teased. "Oh my god no" I faked a laugh. "We know you well enough by now to know when you're lying" Flo smiled. "I ain't jealous guys. If he likes this chick then I'm happy for him" I faked a smile. "Okay, whatever you say (Y/N/N)" Ciska said with a playful smile.
I looked between the 3 of them then locked my phone to place it to the side so they could continue playing the movie. As much as I tried to forget about Lando, the thought of him and that girl hanging out tonight kept crossing my mind. Ughhh.
It was getting late, almost midnight and no sign of Lando or even Oliver that they're going to pick up the girls. After the movie was over we decided to make some pancakes since we didn't know what else to eat at this hour. I decided to make the batter and the girls were going to toast them so it would be faster.
Half way through making the batter I get a phone call and it's from none other than Lando. "Oh would you look at that" I said as I glanced at my phone screen. "Oooooh" the girls cooed. I rolled my eyes and shook my head at them. "Could one of you answer instead because I'm busy" I said. Flo answered the call with a grin, "Hellooo" she said.
She then looked at me, "She's busy at the moment" she smiled. He's asking about me I assume. "You wanna talk to her ?" she asked playfully. Oh gosh. "Okay hold on" she smiled as she then handed the phone to me. "He wants to talk to you" she whispered. I stiffened as I stopped whisking and took the phone from her hand.
The 3 of them watching intently. "Hello ?" I answered. "Hey, you busy ?" He asked. "Well I was in the middle of making pancakes but you clearly have something important to say" I said sarcastically which made the girls laugh. "Uhm yeah, I know it's late but I'm on my way to pick up the girls. I'm just leaving from here so I'll be there in a few" he said. "Are you sure it's safe ? They can stay over, I don't mind" I suggested. "Nope it's fine. Give me 10 minutes" he said. "Drive safely please, speeding your way here is not worth it" I said. "I will. See you in a bit" he said lastly. "Okay byeee" I said before ending the call.
"Y'all sound like a couple already" Ciska said. "You guys need to stop" I said as I couldn't help but crack a smile and finished off making the batter. It luckily didn't take us that long after to toast the pancakes and cover them with Nutella, and some fruit as well. As we were eating we heard the rev of his car outside. "Looks like he's here" I said blandly. "That's our call" Flo said as she and Ciska got up. They both hugged me and (Y/F/N) before waving us off. "Thank you for an amazing time" Flo smiled. "Anytime" I smiled back. "Why don't you come out ?" Ciska suggested playfully. "Nah I'm fine here thanks" I giggled, I know what they're up to. "Byeee !" They yelled on their way out.
Lando's P.O.V
I was a bit upset to only see the girls come out and no sign of (Y/N). "Where's (Y/N) ?" I asked as I rolled the window down. "Inside" Ciska said. "Is she not coming out ?" I questioned. "She's upset with you so she rather stay inside" Flo said. "What did I do ?" I asked shocked. "Why did you have to post that girl on your story because now she thinks you're not interested in her you fool" Ciska shook her head as she got inside the car. "You've got to be joking" I said stunned. "You should've seen her face, poor thing thought that friend of yours is our future sister-in-law" Flo said as she pouted. "Oh my god. Shit" I said as I held my head in my hands.
"So much for trying to make things work with her this weekend" Ciska said as she rolled her eyes. "Hooter and she'll come outside" Flo suggested. I did as she told me but doing it once didn't help so I hooted 2 more times. A hot and angry looking (Y/N) stepped outside, storming towards my car as she leaned against the door. "Have you lost it ? It's past 12am and you're hooting for the whole damn neighbourhood to hear you" she said. "It's an excuse to get you to come outside" I smiled. "I'm here now, what could be so important this time ?" She asked. "Uhm...do you maybe want to go out tomorrow, like an all day date" I said.
"I would love to but I'm sure you already have someone who can replace me like that girl on your story" she faked a smile and turned around to walk back into the house. "Go after her !" the girls yelled. I jumped out of the car and caught up with her just before she can go inside by grabbing a hold of her hand. "I know what you're thinking and it's nothing like that I swear. It has and always will be you. I really like you okay ? I have for a very long time, I just couldn't find the urge to tell you since I was worried you didn't feel the same" I said as I rubbed soothing circles on her hands.
"Hard to believe that when you comment and like all that girls posts, plus you just got back from a night out with not only your guy friends but girl friends as well and you didn't tell me" she said as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Are you my girlfriend that I need to tell you everything I do and everywhere I go ?" I asked to piss her off. "You know what just go away" she said as she walked away. I wrapped my arms around her as I held her from behind. "I know you feel the same since you're clearly jealous, you don't have to say it, I just like messing with you. I'll pick you up tomorrow at 11am, don't leave me hanging" I said before kissing her cheek and running off to the car. I noticed the smile on her face when I got into the car. I hooted and winked at her one last time before driving off.
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⋆ 「 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭. 」 ⋆
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jean has a difficult day, returning home to you feeling exhausted and distant. maybe being held like a big, angry baby will fix him.
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pairing. — jean kirschtein x gn!reader
word count. — 899
content. — sfw, jean is angsty but reader won’t let him be for long (so mild angst but it turns to fluff i swear), cuddling, physical affection, established relationship.
notes. — *waves nervously* hello all! so... after years i've finally caught up on aot and i have the brainrot pretty hardcore rn. not me lowkey returning to my anime era. anyways, i've never written for the fandom before but jean is my husband and this just popped into my brain the other day, so here we are. enjoy!
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The front door opens and closes with a familiar set of noises that reflexively rouse you, but the air that settles in the room quickly thereafter is less routine.
“Hey!” you call out in greeting with a light smile, watching as Jean shuffles forward and removes his boots and coat afterward, draping it over the first available surface that will hold it. His burdened body language and lack of response is enough to tell you that his return home is not pleasant in spirit. Your deduction is only further proven by the way he slumps opposite you on the couch, elbows on knees with a long sigh and deadened eyes. Naturally, you want to offer support, but there’s another part of you that is almost afraid to poke the bear.
But it’s Jean. His bark is often far worse than his bite, and in this state it doesn’t look as though he’s well-equipped to do either.
Sitting up a bit after a moment of silence, you softly ask, “What’s the matter, Jeanbo?”
There’s the slightest hint of a cringe at the name but he seems content to let it go for the moment. “Nothing. I’m just tired.”
You wonder what compels him to withhold the truth when you are often oh so good at extracting it from him, or at the very least able to tell when he’s lying in the first place. But looking at his evident exhaustion and lack of regular spirit, you also wonder if it's even worth it to pry.
However, you find it challenging to simply do nothing. “Baby…” you start, poking your toes just underneath where his thigh meets the seat cushion, probing for his full attention. “Don’t fib.”
There’s a flavor of attitude in the scoff he gives, gaze still fixed on the floor instead of on you.
Oh. So he really is in a mood—likely one that’s not going to be so easy to shake. But to date, you can’t recall a time that he’s ever given up on you, so how could you even think of doing such a thing to him? To leave him in his quiet, solitary misery would plague your conscience with guilt. Perhaps powering forward with a positive disposition will help pull him back to the light.
“Would a kiss make it better?” you ask with a lighthearted grin, hoping to entice him with your playfully offered affection.
Jean huffs and grunts but makes no effort to move away from you. “I’m not a baby, y’know.” His tone is still uncooperative, but there’s something about it that doesn’t entirely convince you. In all the time you’ve spent together, he’s never really truly given you the cold shoulder no matter how tough things managed to get. There’s no reason for you to believe that he would do it now.
You squint your eyes in displeasure, staring him down for a moment before deciding to take action. If he wants to be indignant, you’ll simply have to take a somewhat different approach.
“Oh? Is that so?” you say, brows raising in faux inquisition. “Come here.” You sit up now, reaching out to grab him beneath the arms as best as you can at your angle, and drag him backwards with all your might. He might be quite the large specimen, but that does nothing to deter your efforts.
“Hey–” he starts, surprised by your sudden incursion. Though rigid at first, he eventually becomes compliant and allows himself to be re-positioned between your legs, back against your torso and head against your chest. You wrap your arms around him to pull him closer, letting the weight of his body rest against your own. It isn’t long before you feel his muscles relax into this new position, releasing any tension they had previously clung to. Success.
Jean lets out a longer, far more relaxed sigh this time as your fingers gently toy with his hair, causing his eyes to close shortly after. “‘M sorry,” he mumbles and takes another deep breath. He’s almost in disbelief that he could attempt to deny himself of this, despite knowing how efficiently you are able to soothe him. He feels foolish for being so standoffish. “I love you.” His eyes are open now and he cranes his head back against your chest to look up at you as best as he can.
You offer a gentle smile and a small chuckle, feeling a deep sense of love and accomplishment. “S’okay, loverboy.” Your fingers brush at his bangs with adoration, and you give him a small peck on the cheek with your lips. Afterwards, your mouth stops just below his ear, and there you whisper, “I love you more.”
“Not possible,” he retorts, closing his eyes once again and shuffling against you for comfort. “No one beats me at anything.”
You roll your eyes as he lazily matches your smile and goes lax. “If you say so.” Arguing with him is the last thing you feel compelled to do now that he has been calmed, essentially using you as a pillow, and is surely about to drift off into a much-needed slumber. You’ll overcome the ordeal of figuring out how to move him later–for now, you’re happy just to watch him sleep undisturbed with the face of an angel, knowing that you’ve done your part in helping ease his burdens if only just for tonight.
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"Forever Valentine" ~ E. Munson
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Summary: When you aren't feeling yourself one Valentine's Day, Eddie is determined to make you feel better and let you know that you are his forever valentine.
Pairing: Mechanic!Husband!Eddie Munson x Wife!Reader (no pronouns used but Reader is called Wife)
Word Count: 938
Content Warning: Reader is lowkey depressed, mentions of food, sorta implied smut but not really?
Genre: Hurt/Comfort and some Fluff
Extra Notes: NAWT THE BAD SUMMARY AGAIN 😭
Based On the Request: "I've been feeling quite sad and not like my usual self. Do you think you can make a comfort/fluff of reader feeling similarly and Eddie helping with cuddles and snacks and whatever else you think of?" (requested by @rupsmorge)
Originally Written: 02/14/2023
Beta Read By: @dungeons-are-too-cold
honeysuckleharringtons masterlist can be found here!
honeysuckleharringtons ask box can be found here!
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It was four p.m. on Valentine's Day, and to say that thus far it had been underwhelming… Well, that was a major understatement.
It hadn't been all bad. Eddie had woken you up at the crack of dawn with a kiss on the forehead, whispering promises of a surprise when he got home from work that afternoon. When you'd finally forced yourself out of bed at around noon, you walked into the kitchen to see he'd left you a bouquet of red roses and a note that read,
"I'm not good with words, but to be fair, I don't know if there are words to tell you how happy I am to be your forever valentine. Happy first married Valentine's Day, my love." - Ed ♡
And sure, those things made you happy. You yourself couldn't believe that it was the first Valentine's Day you were spending as a married couple. But no matter how many chocolate hearts you ate or bottles of champagne you popped, it couldn't change the fact that you'd been in a horrible funk lately and had no clue how to fix it.
So, instead of asking for help, you did what any normal human being would in this situation—turned on cheesy Hallmark movies, wrapped the teddy bear that Eddie had given you last year in your arms, and ate strawberry ice cream straight out of the container.
You hadn't even realized that you were on your third rom-com of the day until Eddie crept into the house, left a ghost of a kiss on your ear, and commented, "Is this really what you do when I'm at the shop?"
You gave him a sideways smile, putting on your best show of happiness for him. Valentine's Day was one of his favorite holidays, because there was no way you could fight him on spoiling you for the day.
"Not always," you answered, "only on special occasions."
"Speaking of special occasions," he said, leaning down for a kiss on the lips, "happy Valentine's Day."
As he pulled away, he held out his hands, revealing the handiwork of what he'd been doing during the overtime he'd been working the past week.
He held out a metal rose, with "Eddie + YN" engraved in one of the petals. Sure, it wasn't the most practical of gifts, but to you, it meant the whole world. Eddie using his talents to make meaningful trinkets just for you? Swoon.
Tears poured down your cheeks as you took the hunk of metal from his hands, holding the material close to your chest. "Thank you, Ed," you managed to say through sobs, your chest heavy with some odd mixture of love and guilt.
Eddie almost immediately picked up that those weren't tears of happiness, prompting him to pull you into his embrace. His curls fanned out around you as he held your head against his chest, leaving soft kisses on the top of your head.
"What's wrong?" he asked, rubbing small circles on your back.
"Nothing," you lied, attempting to slow the flow of your tears. "Just super happy that you made this for me."
He let out a deep sigh, holding you close as he led the two of you down to the couch. Pulling you into his lap, he turned you to face him and pushed your now wet hair away from your cheeks. "I can't fix the problem if I don't know what it is," he told you. "Please, tell me what's wrong."
"Nothing's wrong," you insisted. "These are happy tears."
"If I said or did something-" he started to say, but you stopped that thought before he could even finish thinking it.
You placed a loving hand on his cheek, your thumb gliding softly against the stubble growing there. "You could never do anything to upset me. Well, except for when you leave your grease rags lying around."
He chuckled before leaving a long, soft peck on your forehead. "I love you. So much. Please come to me if you ever need me. There's a reason I asked to be your husband."
You melted into his embrace, tossing your legs over his and wrapping your arms around his neck. "I just…" you started, pausing to consider your words, "I've just been in a small funk lately."
"Whatcha mean?" Eddie asked in a whisper, placing his large palm in the center of your back.
"I've just been really sad. And tired. And I just feel off. I don't even remember how it feels to be my normal self," you explained. "I didn't say anything because I knew you were busy with work."
"Hey, hey, hey," he stopped you, his hand moving from your back to your hair, his fingers softly tugging at the ends, "never hesitate to tell me things just because of work. Work can wait. The second you slid this ring on my finger and I said, 'I do,' you became my top priority."
The two of you stayed like that for a while, enjoying the comfort of one another's embrace. He held you tight against his chest, whispering quiet "I love you's" against the shell of your ear, and trailing kisses along your neck.
"I love you too," you answered eventually, giving him an actual smile this time.
"Since it's Valentine's Day," he said as a smirk appeared on his perfectly plump lips, "can I show you just how much I love you, my beautiful, *kiss* amazing, *kiss* wonderful wife?"
You giggled, a smile sitting on your lips as they landed on his for a passionate, slow, strawberry-flavored kiss. "I *kiss* would love *kiss* nothing more."
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Aaahh, happy belated Valentine's Day, lovers!! I tried so hard to have this up on Valentine's Day but alas, good things take time and I had to wait. But, I hope it was well worth it because I absolutely love how this turned out!
Thank you so much to @rupsmorge for this lovely request!! May everyone's sweetheart Eddie make you feel better and give you a lil comfort 🫶🏻💗🫂
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-> Taglist: @dungeons-are-too-cold @ducky-died-inside @awkotaco24 @princesseddie @aftermidnightwriting @manuosorioh @hereiamhereigo @esoltis280
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stayandot8 · 1 year
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Chapter One: Angels Choking On Their Halos
series summary: this one is a little different than anything else I've written. An AU where the members work in a bar with my MC, no idols among them. It's also going to be on the longer side. The fluffy Chris we know and love is nowhere to be found. He's broodier, moodier, and has jokes up the wazoo. So buckle up, kitties. This one's gonna be good 😏.
inspo: the song by Fall Out Boy.
Genre: i'm not really sure tbh
Relationship type: strangers
Important Contents: bar setting, so mentions of alcohol, chris is a lowkey-highkey dick, swearing as usual
WC: ~9k
Next part I masterlist
~
This wasn’t the place I wanted to work for the rest of my life. This was just a stepping stone for where I wanted to be, a place to gain more experience. Make money for now, save up for later. It would make things easier in the long run and that was what really mattered. It was all part of my plan. Sometimes, plans had to be changed in order to adjust to the moment’s needs. 
 This was what I would tell myself every time I would get a rude customer or had trouble with anyone I was working with, which wasn’t often. The family I had made here was enough to keep me going through some of the tougher aspects of life: family passing away, money troubles, even a small period of homelessness. The guys here had taken care of me like I was one of them, which I guess I was. They were all like brothers to me, which was inevitable in the three years we had worked together. 
Minho’s dad owned the bar so he had to be here to be groomed to take over, not that he didn’t have the wish or experience to. He had longer dark hair that he often put back when he was behind the line. He worked hard, eager to prove himself to his father that he deserved to own the place someday. He was well on his way too; he was the best cook we had. When he clocked in, it was mostly business, not one for too much joking around in his kitchen. But when the place was closed and the after-shift drinks were flowing, his laugh was one of the loudest in the place. Seungmin was a close second though, more well known simply as Min. He had the most experience of all of them. He loomed over everyone back there, offering critiques when it was warranted while often keeping to himself and taking orders from Minho. He kept his hair short so it wouldn’t hang in his face while he was working. His eyes were my favorite; they got big when he was talking about something he loved (food, baseball). He loved to open up after a few (light) drinks in him after hours, making jokes at the others expense but never taking it too far. He never seemed to run out of material though, so I had to give him credit for his wit.
Changbin was the shorter one, which made him the perfect choice for security and hosting. It was odd how his rounder face and short dark hair accentuated his raging muscles without taking away from the kindness in his face when he wanted to show off his dimple. His uniform of all black was also a huge help. He was never without his favorite platform shoes though, adding another few inches just to give him the small confidence boost he needed to truly complete the intimidation feel he desired. But after the final customer had gone, he was always the first to clock out and head to the bar to grab his one drink for the night then make sure everyone else got home safely. He loved doing that, loved that he could care about others that way. He had created the environment here from scratch, letting everyone get into their patterns and learn each other's ways while we navigated how to work around each other. If anyone had any problems with another employee, they went to him and they talked about it. Changbin always made sure to see both sides while not putting himself in the middle. He was the perfect mediator.
 Hyunjin was the lead server, in charge of everyone in the front of house. He was tall and lean, his muscle tone inviting long stares from both men and women alike. And when he noticed those stares, boy did he know how to work you. His ease through life was something to be revered, to be chased after for yourself. The way he seamlessly moved from one subject to another made him a flawless conversationalist, suave and sophisticated. It made people wonder what he was doing in a place like this. People had tried to steal him away, but he was loyal to Minho, his best friend since they were young school boys. He once admitted to me that he actually liked this job, never feeling like he was called to do anything else. He was rarely seen wearing the same thing twice, taking his appearance and his job very seriously as the representative of the place. Not to say he was strict with the people under him, he just liked to appear as no-nonsense. But he very much enjoyed the nonsense, especially when Felix was involved. 
Felix was our pastry chef who owned a bakery a couple doors down. He would bring stuff in for us to sell and help out when he could. He wasn’t much for cooking but his baked goods were unbeatable. He came in about three times a week, alternating between dropping stuff off, indulging in his free meals and drinks which he insisted on paying for, or just enjoying the company we provided. His blonde mane was a point of fixation from the other guys, always commenting on how they were jealous and  wanting to touch it, play with it. And he would let them because that was just the kind of guy he was. Felix would do anything to make the ones around him happy. He had grown close with the team, joking around and laughing with them in the kitchen. He would get a call from Hyunjin later into the night when he had already closed up shop for the night and be begged to come and help on anything. He picked up skills quickly, running food for us or helping me or Han behind the bar or even picking up a few tables here and there too. He never said no, always said he was happy to do it. His deep register was the first thing everyone noticed, his deep rumble of laughter forcing everyone to pause in wonder and seek out that call of Hades. It worked to his advantage whenever he would ask one of us to help him out with anything he ever needed. I knew if I couldn't say no to that voice and I knew for a fact no one else here could either. His juxtaposition to his bright demeanor was striking to anyone meeting him for the first time. He always had a smile on his face, no matter what. He picked up the spirits of everyone around him. That’s just who he was.
Han was similar to Felix, though not quite as pure goodness. If Felix was love and light, Han was love and chaos. He was the perfect combination for a co-lead bartender. His creativity was useful when trying to plan new drinks for special occasions, holidays, and just messing around at the end of the night. He was the creativity behind our little duo, I was more in charge of execution. The ‘but Han, how are you going to make the glass start smoking after the customer drinks it?’ or ‘ no, Han, we cannot incorporate weed for the April special’ and lots of ‘that’s a fire hazard, Han.’ were all things I said to him at least once a week. The boy loved to set things on fire so Minho put him up front with the liquids, where he could do minimal damage unless someone handed him a lighter. There may or may not have been a small sign that said ‘Do not give Han a lighter’ on the shelves for everyone to see. But he always meant well. His big brown eyes were such a warm invitation that you couldn’t help but smile when he introduced himself, never wanting to return anything but his warm energy when he was near. He was good like that, able to turn on the charm and the looks whenever he wanted to. He had a kind face which made him a good bartender, made him good with people. When he wore his glasses, he had all the ladies swooning. And he ingested information like it was food. He could get invested in any topic under the sun. Anything I threw at him during his training, he would be able to repeat back to me within about ten seconds, enough time for his brain to process said information and learn it. He explained this once to me back in ye olden days when he first started.
“When I’m passionate about something, I learn all I can and retain it. It’s a superpower I’ve always had but only when I really want to know something.” I didn’t question him again. Everytime he would come in with random facts about some mountain range somewhere far off or some type of goldfish he was learning about, he didn’t stop until he found his new fixation. I knew more about Ranchu goldfish than I ever cared to know. Ever. 
Jeongin, more affectionately known as Innie, was the other server along with Hyunjin. He flitted through styles like they were nothing. That was actually how he got hired. Hyunjin had commented on his jacket and that was all they talked about the entire interview. I know because I was listening to them while they sat at my bar, voices occasionally rising to the point of harsh glares from myself and Han while we tried to help other patrons. He loved showing off his knowledge of the menu to newer customers, eager to help when they were having trouble. Minho had quizzed him a little to help him learn the details, which Jeongin seemed to appreciate. He took to the job quickly, becoming a favorite amongst some of the regulars, his easy charm contagious. It seemed to be a recurring theme among the front of house staff. Hyunjin had put together his team well. 
Saturdays were just about the only day we were all here, minus Felix. The weekend was busy for him down at the bakery so he stayed there for the night, sometimes staying open late to come hang out with us later. Saturdays were always busy, classic date nights for the surrounding area. We were located near a hotel as well so the weekenders often came in either for a drink, for a quick meal or just to get out of their hotel room for a minute or two. The clientele ranged from businessmen there for a meeting with a relaxed environment, families, and couples coming in for a night out or simply away from home. Of course you’d get the occasional outlier: a diplomat wanting to just sit down, high-ranking officials grabbing a quick bite, or rarely, if you listen really closely, you can hear an occasional fight in the back of house. Like tonight. 
Minho ran a tight ship back there, vetting almost everyone who dared apply. However, he cared less about who was washing the dishes, which opened the door for some pretty weird people to apply and get the job. He really just needed them to rinse and repeat so it made sense when the current dishwasher up and quit during the middle of a Saturday night dinner rush. I was mid-shake, tickets starting to create a small pile by the printer, when I heard the yelling over the music in the dining room.
“Well what the fuck do you want from me then?!” I stopped, searching the packed out dining room for Hyunjin and readying for damage control. I spotted his dark hair a few hundred feet across the room as he was doing the same, our eyes meeting and readying for the worst. Minho was mostly cool and calm but had quite a temper when provoked, as all cooks did who took pride in their work. But it wasn’t his voice that we could hear. And it wasn’t he who came storming into said dining room with his apron in his hands. 
“Fuck this place!” Our former dishwasher threw his apron in my direction, hitting me in the face before I could throw my hands or move to avoid it. Luckily for me, the mysterious stains on it did nothing to my uniform of dark jeans and black button down. Winding through the tables, he flew the doors open and disappeared into the night. Hyunjin was still looking at me, his face now red with rage, both at the scene he had just caused and what had just occurred out of his reach. He started to follow after him but I shook my head at him, having too much to do to entertain the idea of being offended. He wasn’t worth it. Hyunjin seemed to agree, albeit reluctantly, as he continued back to the kitchen to assess the damage. I continued my work, Han coming to my side to ask what he could do to help. 
“Hyunjin is going back there probably to take over at the sink. What I need from you is to help Innie on the floor. I can take care of everything back here.” I said as yet another ticket printed someone’s order. 
“Are you sure? I can help you get tickets down then go.” He looked concerned. Little did he know this was what it was like before he came. I flashed a smile to ease the worry in his eyes. 
“Oh please. I could do this in my sleep. I’ll make you something especially good tonight for hangback if you go now.” I continued smiling to cover the sternness in my voice, slipping into problem-solving mode. “And send Changbin up here when he has a second.” I called after him as he pulled his notepad and pen from his pocket to begin serving Hyunjin’s tables, giving me a thumbs up behind his back. 
A flash of lemons, limes, and cherries later, a huffing Changbin appeared at the corner of my bar. 
“I could kill that guy, leaving us high and dry in the middle of a rush. Did he throw his apron at you?” Everyone looks so concerned these days…
“In his defense, I don’t think it was intentional. I think he just meant to throw it behind the bar and I just happened to be in the way.”
“Yeah, that sounds like you. Giving people the benefit of the doubt.” That seemed to ease his concern a tad. 
“Yeah, yeah.” I rolled my eyes at him and smiled, rinsing my cups to make room for new ones. “Could you help bus tables and run food if you have time? Just keep the front phone in your pocket and answer if it rings. I’m putting us on a temporary hold. We’ll check in with the back in about twenty minutes to see how they are.” He nodded, ever the loyal soldier. He even saluted me and ran back to the host stand to grab said phone and do exactly as I had asked, the kitchen doors swinging as he entered. 
I spotted Jeongin at the end of my counter standing at our computer for putting in orders. Once I had a moment, I stepped over to him, spotting the slight tremor in his hand as he pressed button after button, glancing from his notepad back to the screen and back down again. 
“Innie.” I singsonged to him, trying to perk him up as best I could. He smiled but still didn’t look up at me. “Are you doing okay? Do you need any help? I sent Han on the floor to help you with tables so you wouldn’t feel as swamped. Changbin is helping to run food as well so don’t worry about that. Just worry about keeping people happy, okay? Which shouldn't be hard to do since you’re just so darn cute.” I leaned on the counter to stare up at him, hoping to catch his eye so I could be sure the gleam returned. I got him grinning and blushing which was confirmation enough. 
“I’m okay for now, thank you. I’m about to put in for some chilled shots, okay? This table is hell-bent on celebrating something and I couldn’t for the life of me tell you what it was.” I laughed along with him as he gathered his stuff to walk away again. I called out to him.
“I’m here if you need help!”
“I know!” He flashed me another grin as he held the kitchen door open for Hyunjin, who was carrying about eight plates in his arms, then disappeared behind the swinging door. 
“How come you never offer to help me, huh?” Hyunjin had shouted as he was walking past me to deliver the food. 
“Because you’re magical. You need no help.” He half-heartedly glared at me, smirking at the same time. 
“You’ve got tickets again.” Shit. That damn printer…
***
“Han, I swear if you break a bottle, it’s coming out of your paycheck!” Minho was pointedly staring at Han as he tried some new trick he had learned on Youtube the night before. It involved throwing a bottle and that was when I stopped listening to shut it down. Han, ever the rebel, chose to do it anyway. But now he was doing it in front of Minho, who now that the doors were closed, was the young boy he could be without his mask of professionalism. Surrounded by friends instead of coworkers now, he could relax and enjoy the shenanigans from the safety of the bar. 
I heard this being shouted from the kitchen, where Hyunjin, Changbin, and I were gathering our food for the night.. I grabbed a to-go tray full of chips and salsa for the table so as not to create more dishes for Hyunjin who had been stuck there all night long. Hyunjin grabbed some cheese from the walk-in fridge like a mouse, and Changbin was chomping down on a steak that was cooked too long for the customer’s request, so it was put aside for him. We gathered what we needed and returned to the bar where everyone was waiting for us, seated in booths and bar stools. Han had decided against his internet trick, settling for being the bartender for the night. 
“Okay! What is everyone having?” He asked the room, steadfast in his decision. As orders were placed, I put the chips down in front of Jeongin and sat between him and Hyunjin, Seungmin on his other side and Minho next to Jeongin. Changbin moved from his booth to the bar when his food was finished. He hated being left out. 
“I will have whatever that crazy brain can think of that will get me good and drunk so I can forget this stupid night ever happened. I’m off tomorrow, right Minho?” Hyunjin looked expectantly at him. Minho shrugged nonchalantly. 
“Whatever. Hey, where’s my scotch?!” He directed that at Han, who got to it immediately, cracking jokes about impatience while he poured the brown liquid into a paper cup. “What, no glass?” Minho jutted out his lip in a pout. 
“Do you want to clean it?” Hyunjin retorted, the amusement gone from his face. His fingers were pruned from the constant submersion in water; Seungmin hid the rubber gloves from him. Minho nodded in understanding and took a sip from his cup. Han started pouring different liquids into one cup with a dash of juice at the top and handed it to Hyunjin. He took a sip and coughed. Hard. “Damn, dude. I would have asked for a Long Island if I wanted one.”
“You asked for something that would get you good and drunk so there you go. You don’t like it, give it back. Who’s next?” Without any of us seeing or hearing him, Felix emerged from the kitchen doors. 
“I’ll take something fruity please!” His signature smile was plastered on his face as we all greeted him. Jeongin started telling him about what had happened with our former coworker when Han dropped off something pink for the both of them. 
“And he just walked out in the middle of it! All of my tables were so confused, they had no idea he worked here. I tried to just laugh it off but my heart stopped for a second.” 
“Good riddance, I say. I never liked him anyways.” Minho took another sip.
“Then why did you hire him?” My question was amplified when the others asked the same thing. Han dropped off Changbin’s chilled vodka and Seungmin’s beer.
“We needed a dishwasher.” Minho replied simply. “I’ve got someone in mind to replace him, don’t worry Hyunjin. He’ll be in by the time you come in on Monday.” Hyunin nodded his approval and took as big of a swig as he could muster from his Long Island. 
“And what are you having, gorgeous?” Han appeared in front of me, batting his eyelashes. I flicked him on his forehead lightly just because I could. He barely moved and his smile only grew, used to my loving taps. 
“I’ll take something with that new blueberry vodka we just got. I think it would be good with-” I was cut off as Han ran over to the shelf where it was.
“I got it! I’ve been thinking about what to do with it all night. See how you like this. I think it’s perfect.” Watching Han work was something to behold. The look of concentration was so intense, you didn’t want to break it. Seeing him focus on one task at a time happened so rarely, it was a wonder he ever got anything done at all. 
“Now you owe me a drink if my memory serves me. I’ll take something light please, I’d actually like to be able to drive home tonight.” He rounded the edge of the bar to take my seat as we switched places. I turned my back to the group now excitedly chattering about sports and whatnot to stare at the bottles I got to choose from. After thinking, my lips pursed, I chose something that didn’t take much alcohol, granting him his request. As I switched our drinks to grab mine, I strolled through the back of the bar, my second home, to eavesdrop on all the conversations going on. Smiling to myself, proud of the job by the team in front of me, this family I had made. 
***
“Does someone want to tell me why I'm here on my day off?” Hyunjin, decked in casual clothes and sunglasses to ‘hide his eyes from the terror of the sun’ and a drink in front of him. Seungmin was beside him in similar attire having just arrived himself. After the last customer had left the lunch rush, Minho shut the doors behind them and locked them, turning the ‘open’ sign to ‘closed’ and leaving the seven of us from the night before sitting once again at the bar in anticipation. Minho called staff meetings only when needed and it seemed whatever situation he deemed necessary, it was rarely good. 
“Take off those glasses and I’ll tell you.” Minho replied as he approached us once more, joining me behind the bar to face everyone head on with a signature smirk. Hyunjin scoffed as he refused, grumbling to Seungmin beside him. “Okay losers. I found a new dishwasher. It’s a guy I’ve known for a while so he shouldn’t be any trouble. He’s fallen on some hard times so I thought it might be good for him to come work with us. Everyone is going to be on their best behavior, right?” 
“Why, are we meeting him now?” I asked simply, not sure what this big meeting was for. 
“Yes actually. He’s staying at the hotel next door ad he’s waiting out back for me to bring him in. I called you all here to meet him and to make sure everyone was on the same page. Yeah?” Minoh widened his eyes just enough to stare everyone directly in the eye to see their resolution for peace and calm before he was satisfied and exited through the kitchen doors to fetch whoever this guy was, wiping his hands on his apron along the way. The rest of us looked around at each other, slightly scared of what he could possibly be bringing in. 
“This couldn’t be said in a text?” Hyunin said under his breath.
“No proof, no trail.” Seungmin replied. We all nodded. 
Minho returned in a matter of seconds, the mystery guest in tow. He wasn’t entirely short but he wasn’t exactly tall either, his dark hair curly and short and poking out of his black cap. It hung just short of his eyes, dusting his brows with every movement. His eyes were a dark brown, but they were not what I was paying attention to. No, his body was what drew my attention first. His shirt had the sleeves cut off so his muscular arms and peeks of his torso were on full display, cut so low that his chest was almost fully visible to anyone who wanted to take a peek. Which I might have done already when he turned to the side to shake hands with everyone. He greeted everyone with a small smile, chatting for a second with everyone before turning to the next. He introduced himself as Chris. Minho would occasionally call him Chan, making the joke that they were different people. His permanent, shy smile had dropped when he made eye contact with me, drinking in my features like he had all day to do so. He shook his head, trying to get an imaginary fly off of his face and nodded at me. That nod echoed through me as I took him, all of him, in. It was like a bell had gone off in my own mind. For trouble or danger or something else entirely, I didn’t know. But it was all I could hear until Minho’s voice carried through the piercing in my head as I found his eyes again. 
“She’s been with me the longest so she’s almost like second in charge without having the title of it. She’s the best around, you won’t find any better than her.” Minho’s proud smile should have comforted me but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had been slighted by him somehow. Changbin interrupted this introduction to ask Minho about a reservation for tonight so his back was turned to us. 
“The best he’s got?” He said with the slightest trace of mocking, his eyebrow raised in questioning. 
“Of course. I’ve been in this industry long enough to know my way around just about everything.”
“Someone sounds cocky.” Well that’s rude.
“I know what I’m worth.” At least I sounded cooler than I felt. I crossed my arms in front of me as I hardened my features at him, daring him to challenge me. He shrugged his shoulders, brushing me off and turning back to Minho.  
“Come on, I’ll show you around.” Minho guided Chris away and led him to the kitchen, Seungmin following close behind to show him everything Minho would deem unimportant. I followed them with my eyes until I could be sure they were out of earshot. 
“Can you believe that? The nerve of that guy.” Everything in me felt like yelling at whoever was closest, Hyunjin being the closest target. His face was blank. 
“What happened? I wasn’t paying attention.” I sighed, resigned to just let it go until it reared its ugly head again.
“Nothing. Nevermind.” 
“Well, since that was it, I’m going to resume my day off activities. I’ll see you troublemakers tomorrow.” Hyunjin rose from his barstool and slid his glasses back over his eyes. He turned his head to face me as he leaned on the bar, leaning his head in closer to me as if to tell me a secret. “I saw that look you gave him. Play nice. I don’t think I can handle more new people coming in and ruining my rhythm.” He feigned brushing his hair off his shoulders. I scoffed at him. 
“What rhythm is that?” He trailed away to the door. 
“The rhythm of me tolerating those who are already here!” He called from the front doors, halfway open from his outstretched arm. With his other, he pointed a finger at poor Han who was oblivious, gave me an annoyed look, and disappeared through the glass doors. 
What look? I wondered to myself. I didn’t give him any specific look… Did I? I shook my head at the thought and continued my prep work for Han’s shift, my mind flitting between thoughts of the new guy and what his problem was between slices of limes and lemons, listening to the chatter behind me grow as the restaurant doors opened for the dinner rush to flood in.
I was gathering the normal clutter for a new table. Napkins piled on top of the extra plates and the only thing left to grab was silverware. But the rack was empty. The only thing to do would be to ask the dishwasher to immediately do a load for some clean ones. This would be my own test to see if Chris could be a professional during service hours. My approach was always to be nice until they hit strike three. He was only at strike one so niceties it was. I pushed the swinging door to find Minho with his back to me, reading a ticket to himself. I marched over to the sink where my target awaited, one headphone in his ear. I tapped him on the shoulder. 
“Hey Chris, we need more silverware up front. We’re all out.” I said plainly. I waited, watching the back of his head for him to turn to acknowledge me. He didn’t. I tapped him harder. “Hey Chris!” He finally turned, confusion evident. 
“What, why are you trying to scare someone who’s working with heavy machinery?”
“I tapped you already and you said nothing. And an industrial dishwasher is hardly heavy machinery. We’re out of silverware up front.” I said just as dry as I had before. I turned to walk away, satisfied with myself. I saw out of the corner of my eye that he hadn’t moved so I stopped to turn back and see that he was still staring at me. “What?” I snipped. 
“I didn’t hear a question. Or a certain magic word.” His eyes widened in fake innocence, showcasing for anyone on the outside to see this as playful banter. I knew better, but I had to let him win. He had something I needed and I was ever the chess player in knowing that sacrifices for the short were better for the long run. I took a deep breath and put on my best fake smile.
“Chris, do you mind terribly washing some silverware and bringing it out to us so we can serve our customers and make some damn money? Please.” I batted my eyelashes at him, signaling that this was not over. Not by a long shot. 
“Of course I can.” He responded with an equally fake smile. “I’ll bring it out as soon as it’s ready.” He turned back to his sink, grabbing the next bucket of dishes and pulling out the silverware to separate it. I was surprised I wasn’t literally seeing red, my hands were shaking beside me, clenched into fists. I wiped my sweaty palms on my work jeans, desperate for some control over my own body again. Who the fuck was he to question me? Twice in one day too? I think not. I didn’t know how but I would get my revenge one way or another. One day…
But the question was really very simple. Why did I let someone who did not know me get to me so quickly? It had been less than a day and he had already worked his way under my skin, churning the fire I didn’t know was inside. I stopped in the hallway leading to the dining room, taking solace in the darkness and muted noises. I let these thoughts come and go, trying to let them wash over me. If this was how he was, he wouldn’t last very long. Someone would see through him, right? I shook my head and took several breaths, willing my heartbeat to steady out before I went back to my tables. 
A slower dinner service than usual allowed Han to work his usual charms on the few lucky ones to sit at his bar. His nights to take full control were almost every other night starting on Sundays, leaving me to either have the days off or work the floor if I needed the money. It was fun to watch him in his element, the easy conversation flowing so naturally with perfect strangers it made anyone wonder if they actually knew each other. I was by the POS station at the edge, counting my tickets to ensure I had them all as the night was dying down. The remaining tables belonged to Jeongin so I was free to sit at the bar until everyone had gone. 
I hadn’t seen much of Chris tonight other than the one instance, every other trip I made to the kitchen he seemed to be too occupied with a conversation with Minho or involved in his work to pay much attention to anything else. I was still deciding if I wanted to address his weird behavior or drop it entirely. Until…
I had remembered that I had bought something special for myself and Han after a particularly hard shift weeks prior and it had arrived that morning. I hopped off my stool to grab it from my bag in the office, passing by Chris on his phone in the hallway. His brows were drawn together in concentration and his typing only got more furious after I passed by. I noted it for later dissection. 
I returned to Han at the bar with the item behind my back. After he finished, he saw me trying to keep any indication that I was holding a surprise off of my face as best I could. His eyes squinted as he drew nearer, caution written all over his features. 
“Whatcha got there, sparky?” He finally spoke as he folded his arms over the counter, leaning his full weight on them as a smile crept over. I whipped out what was behind my back, a rhinestone covered shaker I had found. Han’s eyes got wide with excitement. 
“You don’t have to use it obviously if it’s too ‘girly’ for you,” I used my fingers for the air quotes. “But if you want to use it, I’m going to wash it and put it back there. Just remember to hand wash it, don’t send it back to dish. I worry about the stones chipping off or something.” I couldn’t help my smile as Han took it from my hands to examine it, eyes wide. That’s when I felt more than saw another presence coming up behind me. 
“What is that?” I could hear the disgust Chris was trying to mask under the layers of feigned curiosity. “I could see it from the kitchen.” 
“It’s our new shaker, courtesy of yours truly.” I turned to stare directly into the sun to find his eyes staring right back at me. His brows raised in surprise.
“Oh you bought it for this place? I should call you Sparkles.” He chuckled at his own joke then paused for a moment, his eyes going distant as he watched Han decide where to put our new jewel. “In fact, I think that’s your name from now on.” He said just low enough for only me to hear, giving me a smirk and shuffling off back to the kitchen before I could protest. I rolled my eyes and turned my attention back to Han, proudly displaying our new shaker to anyone who would listen. 
An hour later, the floor empty and chairs on top of tables, Jeongin was mopping the stone floor as part of his closing duties. He had drawn the short straw so it was his final duty before he could clock out officially and join the rest of us who had worked that night at our usual spot at the bar. Everyone, sans Seungmin, Hyunjin, and Felix who had been dying to meet the new guy, was waiting for the blonde baker to make an appearance before fully getting into the swing of the evening. Changbin was seated at the end, Minho beside him and fully engaged in the conversation. That left myself, Han, and Chris who was sitting with an empty seat between us. Han was in his usual place behind the bar and asking those who had clocked out what they wanted to drink down at the opposite end. I was busy looking at my phone, catching up on missed notifications while Chris was letting his eyes roam around to take in his surroundings. They landed on Han a few feet away, chatting and laughing with the guys. 
“He’s good at that, isn't he.” Not a question. An observation of the world he had waltzed into. More to himself than to me, but I saw my window of opportunity to be the bigger person and I took it. I watched Han do what he did best while mixing different liquids for the men in front of him.
“Yes he is. He’s got a natural knack for people. It’s what makes him good at his job.” He paused, like he wasn’t expecting me to answer, then nodded once in acknowledgement. Then he turned his dark eyes to me and waited until I looked at them to ask his next question.
“And what makes you good at yours, Sparkles? Do you also have a ‘natural knack for people’?” A gentle mix of curiosity and a slight mocking tone in his words. It took me by surprise that he was asking me anything at all. 
“No, it’s my ability to judge a person’s character within seconds of meeting them. I knew who Minho was when he introduced himself in primary school.”
“Minho isn’t very hard to read.” He cocked an eyebrow at me. 
“Oh I beg to differ.” I cocked one right back. “He’s a master at saying one thing and meaning another. It took me years before he moved away to try and decipher his secret language. You, however…”
He sat back expectantly, a bored expression plastered on his face, waiting for me to dazzle him as my nickname implied. As I drew my pause longer, he shook his head slowly, impatiently at me. 
“Yes? 
I studied him a moment longer, not quite ready to give up his attention so quickly. I wanted it for some reason, whether it was because I had earned it or some other deep seeded reason to be explored by a therapist. But I wanted his attention for as long as I could keep it. There was something captivating about it. I realized I had been silent for a second too long before I finally spoke. 
“You like to tease because it gets a reaction out of people. It keeps their attention on you and you love it. Maybe you didn’t get enough attention as a child or someone took it all away from you. Either way.” I watched his face fall from blank ignorance to stone cold. Nail on the head. “Whatever your parents did, it’s time to forgive them and grow up. You don’t need attention to make people like you.” I felt my smugness flood from my brain straight to my smile as I turned back to my phone. “It’s like I know you already.”
“I promise you don’t.” The quickness of his response snapped my attention back to him. His expression hardened in moments, leaving me with no retort. “I suggest you not parade around claiming to know things you don’t know the first thing about. Hiding behind knowledge you think you have doesn’t suit you. It makes you look ignorant. I would suggest you try to get to know people before assuming things about them. Especially me.” I no longer wanted to be the subject of his attention. I felt the blush involuntarily creep up my cheeks as I tried and begged my eyes to look anywhere but at him. “Let me tell you what I know about you, hm?  You’re so buried in your work that you don’t even see what’s happening around you. Take that away and what’s left? Friends? Everyone you know seems to work here. Family? I know by the way you treat your coworkers that you don’t have any. You don’t wear your emotions on your sleeve, you wear them on your face. I can read you like a book.” He had moved off of his seat in the midst of his little speech to lean closer to my face, almost spitting on me several times. He gave a half smile and turned to walk away. I found my brain and my words just in the knick of time. 
“I’ve finally got my nickname for you.” I willed my voice to keep from quivering.
“Oh yeah?” He turned back to me, still not far.
“Puck.”
“Puck? Like a hockey puck?” “Like from Shakespeare. He’s a character in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
“Ah. And why is that relevant?”
“Because he’s a donkey. And you’re an ass.”
I grabbed my bag and bolted for the door, ignoring the shouts of protest and questions about where I was going. I felt someone bump into my shoulder as I ran, not bothering to turn to see Felix before shouting an apology and running to my car before anyone saw my tears.
***
“I just don’t understand, Felix. He’s known me less than a day and he already hates me? Tell me how that makes sense.” Sitting across from Felix in his own bakery was my favorite way to spend my days off. He had made such a cozy place to call his own. Cases of baked goods lined the sides with the counter facing the glass front doors. The blue walls had cute pictures of animals all over them, ranging from cats to dogs to bunnies and ferrets to baby chicks and wolf pups to piglets running around in grass fields or playing in mud. I wondered where he got them all from but I hadn’t dared ask. There were fake vines and flowers hanging from the ceiling, creating the feel of being in a pastel forest dream. White steel chairs and tables were spread across the small room and just outside the doors, people enjoying his products were seen constantly with smiles and laughter. 
A yellow plate with the wrapper from his newest cupcake flavor, Cherry Lime Surprise, in front of me, Felix stopped me mid-rant. 
“And what exactly did he say to you again?” I scoffed.
“Ha! Which time? When he questioned my abilities just after Minho told him I was the best he had, not only insulting me but Minho too? Or when he made me stop and say please when we needed more silverware in the middle of service when I had other shit to do? Or, my personal favorite, when he called me a friendless workaholic with no family and my head up my own ass? Which time are you referring to, Felix?” I had to scoff again, lost in my own thoughts. “It’s ridiculous. He doesn’t even know me. What makes him think he can pass such definite judgment on me?”
“He seemed to be in a sour mood after you left last night. He apologized that he wasn’t in a happier mood. Said he had a bad night and had to leave shortly after you did. The other guys say he’s fine, he jokes around with them and everything. Minho said he was a childhood friend.” “Yeah well so am I. I know he would believe me if I told him but I also know he would tell me to deal with it myself. And I don’t want to have to run to him if I ever have a problem with someone he hires.”
“You literally never have.” Felix gave his best comforting smile, making his eyes sparkle.
“Maybe not. But I don’t want to start now.” 
“Why is he bothering you so much? He doesn’t know you so why does his opinion matter?” Now that was a thinker. 
“Well, if I’m going to see him so often working there, I thought we could get along. Be friends even. Or at least friendly. But with the way he’s acting after only knowing me a day, I don’t see that happening.” I pushed the plate away towards him, nudging him that I wanted another. I widened my eyes to plead, but he saw right through me and grabbed the plate. 
“You have to pay for this one!” He called to me. I followed him up there to do exactly that. “And don’t over tip me! You’re paying too much already.”
“Try and stop me! It’s my way of paying you for listening to me rant about nothing.” I responded as he retrieved my delicious dessert from its case and placed it on my plate to hand to me. I turned the device back to him and grabbed my plate to run away back to my table before he could yell at me. He looked incredulously at the device then back up to me, his mouth agape. I shrugged with my most mischievous smile. “If you tell me it’s too much, I’m just going to double it next time.” I watched his shoulders move up and down dramatically as he threw his head back to look at the ceiling. He stared for a second before coming around the counter to sit in his white chair. 
“Anyways. As I was saying.” He narrowed his eyes at me, waiting for me to take a bite before continuing. “If you have to work with him, you only have a few options. The first would be to try and make peace. Remind him you have to work together and see if you can compromise enough to be civil and only talk to him when you need to.” My top lip curled in disgust as I swallowed. 
“Or?” I popped the last bit of bliss into my mouth, intent on savoring it while I could. 
“Or you could avoid him at all costs. Don’t speak to him. Just ignore him if he tries to talk to you about anything other than work. But I highly advise against this. You do work together now and running away from your problems never works. You know that.” 
“Unfortunately, I do. But if I’m going to avoid him effectively, he needs to stay in the kitchen. I won’t bother him if he doesn’t bother me.” Felix took my empty plate from me as I rose to leave, gathering my stuff. 
“If that’s how you want to play it, then I’ll be here waiting for it to all go to hell.” He gave me another one of those signature smiles. Every time he flashed me one of those, I knew that everything would be okay. That’s what made Felix such a good friend. He gave good advice but would also be there for you when you ignored it. No matter how much he teased, he never said ‘I told you so’ or judged you when something was your fault. He never threw it in your face when you were wrong, he just patiently waited for you to realize it. He was a good friend, better than I deserved. His sultry voice broke me of my thoughts. “If you want to start your avoiding tactic, now is a great time. He’s across the street on his way over.” I whipped my head around to see Chris dressed in all black with a backpack on his shoulder and indeed headed this way. “He asked if he could come see the place so I told him to come by.”
“Shit.” It was the fastest I had gathered the rest of my things, cursing myself for spreading out so elaborately. 
“Use the back door.” Felix, you angel. I told him so as I rushed onto the street outside. 
***
“Doesn’t it liven up the place? I think it does.” I stepped back to admire my handiwork. I had lined the shelves of liquor with tiny christmas lights, equipped with a remote to change the colors to anything possible. Changbin was watching me struggle with the different sticky strips to hang them, not offering any helpful suggestions whatsoever but admiring the job once I was done. 
“I like it! Can you turn them purple? What about blue?”
“I can do better than that. Watch this.” I pressed the multicolored button on the remote and the lights turned from red to orange to yellow all the way down the rainbow and back again, on a constant loop. I proudly watched Changbin’s face gleam with pride as he watched my lights flicker. 
“Yah! I’m so proud of you. You did it all by yourself.” He beamed at me, marveling at them as he walked backwards to the kitchen to discuss tonight’s dinner service with Seungmin. After watching the lights for a little while longer, I pulled out my cutting board and fruits to cut for myself.
I was ready to put my plan into action when Chris walked up to see the commotion. 
“I guess Sparkles was the right name for you after all.” He flashed me a quick half-smile. A blink and I would have missed it. “It looks good. Brightens it up.” And then he was gone as quickly as he had come. 
What the fuck was that?!
This back and forth was making my head spin. Before I could think too much about it other than my initial reaction, Minho came in through the locked front doors. Which was odd because Tuesdays were his day off, his jeans hanging loosely around his hips and his white tshirt showing off his toned muscles.. His eyes searched around the room for something and landed on me. He nodded, signaling that he was headed for me. 
“Why are you here? Don’t you have some expensive wine tasting to attend or something to improve your restaurant?” I gave a sickeningly sweet smile, flashy all of my teeth for him. 
“Haha, very funny.” He narrowed his eyes and grimaced. “Where’s Chris?”
“Probably in the back.” I waved my hand in the direction I implied. 
“Good. Don’t move. I want to talk to you both.” Uh Oh…
I quite literally couldn’t move, my brain jumping from thought to thought and never quite landing on a reason why he would want to talk to the both of us. Had Felix told him everything? No, he wouldn’t. He wouldn’t betray my trust like that. Minho came back with Chris, an apron tied around his waist and wiping his hands off with a towel before slinging it over his shoulder. 
“What’s up, Minho?” I couldn’t help my suspicious tone. 
“I want you to train Chris behind the bar starting Monday next week.” He bore into my eyes, daring me to protest. I knew better. Chris had moved his attention to me, a smug smile spreading across his features. 
“Why?” Questioning was okay. 
“We were talking a few nights ago about how he wanted to learn mixology and there’s no one better to learn from. Chris, before you start to protest, keep in mind that she’s the best in the business when it comes to training. She taught Han everything he knows. If you want to learn, you learn from her.” He turned to me, wiping the smug look off my face when I heard his tone from the first word.
“And you. You can teach anyone, I know you can. You can whip anyone into shape, I've seen it. Give him a chance and you might just see the potential that I see. If he wants to learn, why shouldn’t you be the one to teach him?” He leaned back pushing off the counter, smiling to himself. Like he was proud of making us work together. Like he hadn’t just given me the biggest test of my patience I had no intention of acing a minute ago. 
“Oh by the way,” he turned, clearly headed for the back door to the parking lot. “Both of your jobs depend on it. So play nice.” I could swear I just saw devil horns poking through his hair just then as he smirked and twirled on his heel. He sauntered away and whistled some unknown tune, seemingly unaware of the bomb he had just dropped in front of me, its faint ticking in time with his retreating footsteps.
“Can I call you Professor Sparkles?” He had leaned in closer so I could hear his whisper. The urge to slap the smugness off of his face was heavy. My hand may have twitched. On its own, of course. The smile he was sporting was dangerous. Time to throw caution to the wind.  I leaned in as well, not wanting anyone else to hear what I was saying. 
“Alright Puck. You wanna play?” I leaned in an inch closer, my lips tugging at the corners. “Then let’s play.”
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wasawattpadkid · 1 year
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Idk if you’d want to write this or not, but can you write a fic of Tatum x Sidney? I think they’d be lowkey so fucking cute and I would love to see them together in your writing. I think the plot could be like a heated makeout at a sleepover? They’re playing a game or something and then start kissing and it’s heated..
Here it is! I wasn't sure if you wanted full on smut and if you did I wasn't sure what all you wanted to read so I kept it short. Hope you like it!💕
The Sleepover
Pairing: Tatum Riley x Sydney Prescott
Warnings: ⚠️smut 18+⚠️ girlxgirl, slight fingering, biting, worship kink (?), This is probably the fluffiest smut I've written
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It was just like any sleepover they had before. The same pillows and pajamas but things were different. The haze in Tatum's eyes was one Sydney had never seen before. Something stirred within them, something without a name. The world outside that small bedroom didn't exist as the two girls stared at each other. No one knew who made the first move. Tatum turned her head as Sydney gently caressed the base of her neck. The kiss felt like heaven and hell all wrapped in one little press of the lips.
It was addicting. Sydney was sure to crash the moment they parted. Tatum pulled on her friends bottom lip with her teeth. The little growl that left the blondes lips made Sydney's breath catch in her throat. Tatum pulled away leaving her friend breathless. It was shameful some would say. Sydney certainly thought so but that didn't change the lustful want that plagued her brain. Tatum was sure of herself. Her whole life she knew what and who she wanted. Wrong or right she did what she pleased.
That's where the girls differed. Sydney didn't act on her emotions. For years she thought even entertaining the idea that her and her friend could be more than that was ridiculous. Her eyes never left Sydney as Tatum slowly unbuttoned the top to her pajamas. The brunette wanted to scream for her to stop terrified of what this could mean for the long term. All she could do was stare in awe of the friend that so easily seduced her.
With a gentle hand Tatum pulled Sydney in for another kiss. This one was dangerous. It wasn't at all like the one before. Both the girls knew this was it. There was no going back now. Friendship be damned they needed each other. Carefully Sydney placed her hands on Tatum's breasts testing how far she was allowed to go. An eager moan escaped the blonde's lips as verbal encouragement. "Kiss my neck." Tatum whispered against Sydney's lips. Willing and able the brunette moved her lips down to the sensitive skin under her friends jaw.
Tatum giggled holding Sydney's hair back. She was gentle and precise with her movements. It was as if she was mapping out every little piece of Tatum's skin just so she wouldn't forget it in the morning. Sydney had never done anything like this with anyone and Tatum was well aware of that fact. Tatum thought her careful nature was adorable. She unlike her friend was no stranger to sex. Most of the time it was with men who simply saw her as a means to get off. It was over as soon as it started. She didn't feel loved with them like she did right now.
"You can go lower." Tatum directed the girl whose lips were a swollen shade of pink. The bed springs cried as Sydney slowly pushed her friend back. Her lips never left Tatum's pale skin. It was erotic how intimate sex was with someone she considered her best friend. It wasn't the same raunchy lesbian bullshit they played on TV. As Sydney's hands roamed Tatum's naked torso she felt worshipped. Loved and adored by millions just by feeling the touch of one person. The only person that mattered in that moment. Sydney pressed a soft kiss against her nipple making Tatum's back rise ever so slightly off the bed.
With a smile Sydney wrapped her lips around the bud slowly drawing circles with her tongue. Just watching Tatum's reaction was enough. Sydney always admired how attractive her best friend was. She could easily get any guy she wanted and for good reason. It wasn't until now that she was truly struck with how beautiful Tatum was. Her skin seemed to glow as Sydney gave the same treatment to the other nipple. Tatum's harsh breathing was loud in Sydney's ears. She couldn't begin to imagine the backlash of being caught.
As much as she enjoyed the attention, the fact that Sydney seemed to lack some bothered her. Tatum sat up making Sydney stop what she was doing. "What's wrong?" The fear that this might actually be a dream was heavy on Sydney's heart. "Nothing but you know you can take your clothes off too?" Tatum wasn't a modest person. It was hard for her to understand why Sydney wasn't the same way. Being topless didn't bother Tatum especially around her best friend. Sydney had undressed around Tatum many times before but this was different. Tatum would be looking at her in a way she wasn't sure she could handle.
Tatum picked up on her reluctant behavior. "You don't have to do this. We can put on a movie and forget this happened." The simple word "forget" upset Sydney. She couldn't throw away the memory of this happening. "No." She shook her head. "No, I want this." Tatum was relieved. This meant more to her than some teenage experiment. Tatum grabbed the hem of Sydney shirt looking up at her before taking it off. With a silent nod Tatum pulled the shirt off tossing it to the ground.
Sydney didn't look down feeling more self conscious than she ever had. Tatum grabbed her friends chin with two fingers forcing the girl look at her. "You make me so happy." Tatum smiled making Sydney laugh shaking her head. "I'm being serious." She smiled as she spoke before she pressed a kiss on Sydney's lips. At this point Sydney had gotten used to the feeling. Tatum's hand found it's way between her friends thighs softly rubbing her clothed core. A moan escaped Sydney a little too loudly. Tatum pulled her lips away replacing them with her free hand. "Shh we can't do this if you can't be quiet."
It was humorous. There was no pressure, no fear between the girls. Tatum's hand slid down into the waistband of Sydney's underwear. A small gasp left the girls mouth as she got used to the feeling. "This okay?" Tatum asked slicking up her fingers before dragging them gently over her clit. "Yeah." Sydney mumbled now aware of her volume. Tatum licked a stripe up her friends neck biting the flesh at the end of her trail. Her fingers continued their motion earning a few low moans from the girl.
The night was long, both Sydney and Tatum taking turns trying new things. They laughed and joked in-between kisses not wanting the sun to continue to rise. "It's literally 5 in the morning." Tatum said checking the light up clock on her nightstand. Sydney covered her mouth with a laugh as the two girls lay naked underneath a blanket. "I could make breakfast?" Sydney whispered rolling over to face Tatum. "Ooh breakfast. You mean you're not going to throw on your pants and jump out my bedroom window?" Sydney smiled knowing exactly who she was referring to. "I can but I'm going to need a little more than my pants though." Anyone could tell the girls were delirious by their constant giggles. "I think we should just go to sleep and we'll have breakfast for dinner." Tatum curled up next to Sydney as the brunette played with her hair. "Sounds like a plan."
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mazarin01 · 7 months
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Isak. 
I slowly roll the name across my tongue over and over again, a smile blooming as the butterflies multiply in my belly. I climb down from the top of my bunk bed, landing on my feet with a heavy thud. Quickly rolling my chair across the floor to lean against the open closet, I climb on top of it, holding on to the door so as not to fall down. 
I pull out the black shoe box hiding behind my old ski pants I haven’t worn in years, losing my balance as the seat swings to the side, nearly crashing with the floor.
I flop down at the bottom of my bunk bed and lean my back against the wall, then carefully open the shoe box and pull out a clipping from the local newspaper from last fall. 
Isak stands with a gold medal around his neck, a football under one arm, the other raised in triumph, eyes big and smile broad. I stare blissfully at the picture before kissing his face gently, butterflies swirling around my belly like they’re dancing to a music video on MTV. 
I’m not sure, but I think he likes me. And not just as a friend, but maybe as something more? Maybe the way that makes you want to kiss someone and hold hands. Maybe the same way I’ve heard rumored about Freddie Mercury, the vocalist in Queen. 
I love Queen, love the performance they had at Live Aid in 1985. I love Freddie Mercury in tight jeans and a singlet. But most of all, I love Isak Valtersen. 
On Sunday I went to school with Yousef and Mutasim. They wanted to skate since the national ban had finally been repealed. I don't skate, it looks so scary, and when I got bored of watching them, I walked over to the football field next to the school to look for Isak. I often see him there with his best friends Jonas, Magnus and Mahdi playing football. 
That afternoon he was there all by himself, repeatedly shooting against the wide open goal. Just when I was about to call his name, he spotted me. He ran towards me, greeting me with a shy smile. 
We talked for a long time, leaning up against the fence. Isak told me about a cool old Nintendo Game & Watch he’d gotten from his mum and I told him about the movie Cinema Paradiso I forced Mikael to watch with me last week. 
As we were saying goodbye to each other, something absolutely magical happened. Without looking Isak pushed his pinky against mine, gently brushing his finger over mine. A tingling sensation raced through me, turning my legs into jello and quickly short circuiting my brain. I couldn’t speak and my heart pounded so fast I started to worry it might explode. 
When I managed to somewhat gain control of my body again, I glanced at him. He didn’t say anything, just bit his lower lip and sent me that same shy smile. His dark red cheeks took my breath away and all I could do was smile back.
💖🥳🧡🥳💛🥳💚🥳💙🥳💜🥳💙🥳💚🥳💛🥳🧡🥳💖
To @ghostcat3000
You lowkey wished for fan made birthday presents this year, and since you were so cool and wrote me into your EVAK fic 1 Thing last year, I thougt I'd gift you something for your birthday.
1989 is a story I posted in Norwegian on AO3 back in 2018. It's honestly one of the stories I've written that I'm most proud of.
I've translated it into English so more people can read it. @alterlove2021 is my trusted beta and has done magic to the story, sanding down the rough edges and polishing it, making it shine like a diamond.
It's not the 25th just yet, but since I have no chill what so ever, I decided to post a little sneak peak here on Tumblr along with some art I made for the story.
The whole story will be available on the 25th on AO3 for you and everyone else to read.
Happy Birthday in advance.
XO Mazarin
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charmante-mp3 · 8 months
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The Death of Me
Yeosang x m!reader (feat. Yunho, Mingi, and Wooyoung) A bit angsty/lil sprinkle of fluff/suggestive/non-idle au This took me forever to write but here it is, lowkey one of my favorite stupid little pieces I've written.
TW; SUGGESTIVE/CURSING
18+ MINORS DNI 3.0k
---
The rain fell, mixing with the tears flowing from my eyes. After all these years of being by his side, why couldn’t he choose me? He chose her, of course he did. She’s everything I’m not. She’s extravagant, and I am only his best friend. A side character never chosen to be the romantic interest. Then again, I’m nothing like her, I’ve never been a woman and I never will be. 
~
I don’t remember when we met, I just know we’ve always been attached to the hip. Every Sunday was dedicated to dinners with the Kang’s. Which meant Mrs. Kang would come over in the afternoon with Yeosang, we’d run around the house constantly being scolded. Until we got in middle school, those Sundays we now sat in mine or his room now glued to stupid multiplayer video games. Finally, high school when everything changed. I saw things differently, I saw my childhood best friend as something more. A dirty secret I’ve kept for years. Now it’s our final summer break before our last year of high school. 
“Y/N!” I heard the deep voice yell from down stairs. I was barely awake when Yeosang barged in my room, a normal occurrence. 
“Yeosang what are you doing, it’s 9am?” I sat up trying to shrug off the sleep.
“You do remember that even if it’s summer we still have practice,” He stated. I flung myself out of bed.
“Shit,” I muttered rustling around my room to find my gear. I met Yeosang downstairs, and we booked it to school. 
After many drills and a practice game I slumped myself on the ground. Grabbing my water, my eyes flung over to an approaching Yeosang. Who was in the process of wiping his face with his shirt, causing his abs to be shown off to the world. Averting my eyes quickly, I chugged down most of the water in the bottle. I tried to shove every thought I just had to the back of my brain when he sat beside me.
“How’s it feel to finally be captain?” He said while propping his elbow on my shoulder. My heartbeat had begun pounding in my ears.
“A little weird,” I said, my voice raspy. I saw Yeosang’s eyes widen a bit, yet I had no idea why.
“Remember when you swore up and down you would be soccer captain one day? Guess you weren’t lying,” His deep chuckle rang in my ears.
“Yeah I do,” I shrugged his arm off as subtly as possible, which didn’t work at the slight offense glazed over his face.
“I think I’m gonna head home this shirt is sticking to my back,”
~
My brain had been playing tricks on me the past few days leading up to school starting once more. I thought I would see Yeosang’s gaze linger a little longer and softer. It definitely changed my mind when he started talking to this girl.
“She said yes, I’m taking her on a date!” He exclaimed. I could feel the emotional pain rip through my body. Her name was Rose, Yeosang had spoken so highly of her for two weeks.
“That’s great, Sang. But do you mind I have a bit to do,” I trailed off trying to make an excuse.
“Like what?” He said, confused. I was trying to find a lie and didn’t notice him come lean over my shoulder. 
“I don’t feel well!” I blurted out as I noticed his presence lean over me, trying to glance at my laptop. Which I abruptly closed soon after. 
“Y/n?” 
“Don’t ask Yeosang, go about your day,” This was not how you planned to come out to your lifelong best friend.
“Are you helping Mingi?” He asked dead serious. I couldn’t help the overwhelming urge to facepalm.
“God Yeosang, your density will forever be my favorite thing about you,” I chuckled, “Why would I help Mingi when everyone already knows?” I continued glancing over just to see his eyes widen. 
“Is it Hongjoong?” 
“Christ Yeosang, it’s me!” 
“Oh,” It suddenly got really quiet, which made anxiety creep up my veins. He began to speak again but I didn’t let him.
“Alright Yeosang, go enjoy your date I’m sure Hongjoong would absolutely love to dress you up! Bye,” I said, shoving him out of my room just to slam the door in his face. I pushed my weight against it, feeling the tears prick my eyes. It was time to call Wooyoung.
~
“He literally only said ‘oh’,” Wooyoung’s face dropped in annoyance. 
“Yup! Right after exclaiming his date with a girl. I didn’t even know he liked anyone,” I explained the situation that happened just half an hour ago. 
“I didn’t either,” He trailed off.
“I don’t believe it, you two have been pining at each other since the beginning of the semester,” San pitched in, walking up behind Wooyoung.
“San where the fuck did you come from?” I questioned more at Wooyoung. 
“He’s been here the entire time,” Wooyoung admitted and my eyes flew open to glare at my gossip buddy. 
“Literally everyone knows about your crush, you make it so painfully obvious,” San says, retreating away from the camera.
“Except for Yeosang apparently,” Wooyoung added.
“You’re an ass,” 
~
Graduation had come and gone and with that college started. By some curse or straight luck, Yeosang and myself had gotten a soccer scholarship to the same school. This meant you also roomed with him in a college dorm and with that he became aware of the growing distance between you two. However, you did obtain two new friends that were undeniably flirty as fuck, Mingi and Yunho.
“Yeosang for the millionth time you’ve done nothing I’m just busy,” You said walking away from the blonde headed man. 
“Too busy to go to Wooyoung’s party tomorrow?” I stopped in my tracks. Wooyoung’s parties were something I did really enjoy, simply because you never knew what it would consist of. 
“We’ll see,” I said before stepping into my class, leaving him in the halls.
~
Part of me didn’t want to go knowing Rose and Yeosang would be attached to the hip, but I ended up at Wooyoung’s house, seated in between Mingi and Yunho. 
“I’m pretty sure I’ve seen her hookup with someone at my university,” Mingi said. Both of them had their eyes trained on Yeosang and his girlfriend as I tried my best to ignore it by taking a drink of the cheap shit in my hand. 
“You should hook up with us to get your mind off of it,” Yunho stated, causing all of what I drank to be spit right back out. I expected them to laugh and shrug it off while I was coughing up my lungs, but they didn’t.
“You’re not being serious,”
“He’s being dead serious,” Mingi said to my left. 
“What the fuck,” I muttered.
“What you’re hot! Most of us would fuck you given the chance,” Gesturing to literally everyone in the room.
“Except for Yeosang apparently,” Wooyoung said, coming up just to plop himself into my lap.
“Oh fuck off you three,” I threw my head into Wooyoungs’ shoulder.
“I don’t understand why Yeosang has all your attention,” Yunho said, shoving his head in your neck, sending a shiver down your spine. As he said that my eyes flicked over to Yeosang who was already looking this way. His eyes widened along with mine as Wooyoung turned himself around in my lap. 
“I have a really funny plan,” Wooyoung said, his face inches from mine.
“We’ve already had this plan,” Mingi said, following Yunho steps in shoving himself in my neck.
“What fucking plan,” I said. I could feel the heat of embarrassment grow up my neck.
“We’re just gonna give Yeosang a little push,” Wooyoung cackled out. He draped his arms over my shoulder. I could tell they were a little tipsy.
“Just let us kiss and feel you up and you’ll see what we see,” Mingi said in my ear.
“We won’t actually fuck you, unless you want it of course,” Yunho said. 
“You three are going to give me a heart attack. Honestly whatever, I do need a little distraction,” I said, tilting my head on Yunho. Apparently that was enough from all three of them. I could feel Mingis’ hand wandering to my thigh, Yunhos’ teeth scraping my neck, and Wooyoung slightly move around in my lap. The sensations caused a grunt to rip through my vocals. My eyes couldn’t help but wander to Yeosang over Wooyoungs’ shoulder. I thought I saw a glint of anger in his eyes, but I wasn’t able to look long enough as Wooyoung gripped my chin.
“Come on Y/n, play with us,” He said before clashing his lips with mine. Wooyoung continued to wiggle around slightly in my lap and I could feel the blood rush below me.
“Fuck,” was the first thing that left my mouth as he detached himself from me. My hands quickly found Wooyoungs’ hips to actually ground myself. 
“You know, Yeosangs’ got heavy eyes on us,” Mingi said.
“He’s gripping his cup so hard I’m surprised it hasn’t broken,” Yunho added.
“Along with the hundred eyes that are around, I think Yeosang is the last person on his mind,” Wooyoung said, still breathless.
“It’s unfortunate for him really. Y/n’s lips are the greatest thing I’ve ever tasted,” Wooyoung flirted sitting up straight now.
“I want a taste,” I heard Yunho grumble to my right, soon followed by hands gripping my chin. Yunho’s teeth clashed with mine and I gripped Wooyoungs’ hips harder as Mingi attacked my neck. I could feel the harsh bites and sucks that he littered from my jaw to my shoulder. I ripped myself away from Yunho as Wooyoung grinded harsher in my lap.
“Holy shit,” I said loudly, almost forgetting the crowd of others. 
“As much as I think Yeosang’s enjoying the show, I’m not much of an exhibitionist,” Mingi said, pulling himself away from me. I caught a glimpse of Yeosang approaching us, my heart started to pound in my chest.
“Oh? Are we getting company?” Yunho stated eyes subtly looking at the scene in front of him. Yeosang was a few steps away when his girlfriend ran over engulfing him in her arms. 
“That’s enough for me,” I said, grabbing Wooyoung and lifting him up. 
“You coming?” Wooyoung asked Mingi and Yunho over my shoulder.
“Hell yeah we are,” However, we didn’t get very far as a hand roughly grabbed my wrist.
“I wanna go home,”
~
It was 4am when I arrived back at my shared apartment with Yeosang.
“You enjoyed the party huh?” Was the first thing he said after closing the door. 
“Yeah, could’ve been more interesting,” I said with my eyebrow raised.
“Is that why you’ve been ignoring me? Didn’t want those three to think I was fucking you too?” That caught me off guard.
“Yeosang what the hell?” He started ranting about who knows what as I drowned him out. “Yeosang! There’s no reason for you to be this pissed about it!” I interrupted his rant. He did nothing but stare at me with a harsh glaze. After a few seconds of silence he walked off towards his room, followed by a slight slam of his door. 
The past few days consisted of Yeosang and I completely avoiding each other, which was surprisingly easier than I thought it would be. Walking along the street, towards one of my favorite cafes, my mood was soured by the sight in the window. It was Rose and Yeosang, chatting and looking as happy as ever. 
‘He’d be perfectly fine without me in his life’ the thought crossed my mind more than once these past weeks. I could feel the familiar sting of tears as the words replayed in my head. A drop of cold water hit my head making everything ten times better. The rain fell harder and so did my tears, I started walking away oblivious to the eyes trained on my figure.
~
“So you’re gonna change schools just because of a boy?” Seonghwa, my older friend asked. 
“Why not, I’ve got others dying to have a pro soccer player,” I muttered out, my laptop displaying my options.
“He hasn’t even contacted me Seonghwa, it would be easier on both of us if I just dwindled out of his life,” I said, slamming the device shut. 
“So, you’re gonna find a whole new roommate too?” That was one question I hadn’t thought about just yet. 
“Don’t go to Wooyoung, that'd be a horrible idea,” Seonghwa said before I could even get the suggestion out of my mouth. My next suggestion got cut short as my phone rang through the air. Speaking of the devil Wooyoung was calling me, I couldn’t even say hello when I answered.
“I told Yeosang where you were hiding out,” 
“Wooyoung you dick,” My mind raced trying to find out why he even wanted to know.
“Are you an idiot or did you mute his messages,” Wooyoung asked, knowing I swore up and down he hasn’t contacted me. My face fell as I checked any messages from Yeosang. I had at least twenty messages asking where I was, if I was okay, he was sorry, and we needed to talk. If your heart could fall to your toes, that’s where mine would be. A loud knock echoed through the house and Wooyoung abruptly hung up.
“You can handle this, I'm out,” Seonghwa said as he opened the door.
“Seonghwa you bitch,” I muttered out as he walked to a different room. Yeosang slowly rounded the corner, he looked as if he’d been through hell and back.
“Fuck Yeosang what happened?” I jumped up to his side, completely forgetting my dilemma.
“Why are you hiding here? I know what I said was out of line but running isn’t your thing,” His voice was hoarse. 
“Let’s not have this conversation in Seonghwa’s living room,” I said. I gathered my stuff, told Seonghwa we’re out, and led Yeosang back to our shared apartment.
~
“You’re not getting that answer,” I told him as he kept asking why I was avoiding him.
“Rose cheated, and you weren’t here. I think I deserve to know why,” I heard his voice crack along with my heart. I felt horrible even if I was in love with him, but I was still his best friend and I left him in a hard spot.
“Yeosang, that’s even more reason not to tell you. I’ll make you tea and once you get over her, I’ll tell you about it,” I said getting up from my spot.
“What if I was already over her?” I barely heard behind me as well as slight movement. I turned and noticed he was following him to the kitchen and I let him.
“Crying over a girl doesn’t make you weak Sangie,” I heard a sigh of relief as he sat at our kitchen island.
“I was more upset at the fact you weren’t here,” He said words that only made me grow softer for him.
“Yeosang you don’t realize how much you’re killing me,” I said out loud, I didn’t mean to it just flew out before I could think.
“What do you mean?” I could hear his voice crack again. I swung my head around and could see tears beginning to cloud his eyes. I muttered out a curse and decided to throw all dignity out the window. Wrapping my hands around him I pulled him into my chest as he shook with silent sobs.
“Sangie, I’ve been in love with you since high school. These stupid feelings are hurting both of us, so I needed to distance myself or drop out of your life completely,” I finally confessed. His hands around my waist crumbled up my shirt and I let my own tears flow out. However, his sobs came to an abrupt stop.
“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” I almost didn’t hear him as he pulled me closer into him. I stayed silent for a while as the inner panic got worse. Suddenly, he stood up pushing me back a little as his head was still tucked into my chest. I would be surprised if he couldn’t hear the rapid beating of my heart. Making it worse, he softly shoved me back at arm's length. His eyes dead set on mine and I could see the remnants of tears all over his face. His push didn’t do much as he got closer, our faces just inches apart
“Yeosang, whatcha doing?” I whispered. We stood there for what felt like hours, in reality it was probably only a few seconds. 
“I wasn’t lying when I said I was already over her,” He said. I was about to ask why that was when the most unexpected thing happened. My eyes widened as Yeosang pulled me in for a rough kiss. I tensed up and he began pulling away when I realized what was happening. Pulling him back in, I kissed him as if it was the last thing I’d ever do. I heard a slight moan come from him, which went straight to my groin. 
“Can you choose me over Wooyoung now?” 
“I already have,”
~
I was blasted awake by the loud ringing of my phone. Wooyoung was once again calling me.
“Why do you call me at the stupidest fucking times?” I asked, thoughts of last night ran through my head and I had convinced myself it was a dream.
“Did you finally fess up to Yeosang?” I rolled my eyes at him. I was about to respond when hands slowly wrapped around my waist. 
“Yeah he did, now shut the fuck up so we can sleep,” I heard the unmistakable deep voice close in my ears. 
“Holy shit it wasn’t a dream,” I heard Wooyoung’s hyena cackle mixed with Yeosang’s low chuckle. With that Wooyoung left us and I turned over to face my best friend of so many years. He definitely wasn’t fully awake, I wasn’t really either until I took notice of the state we were in.
“You really will be the death of me,”
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johns-prince · 8 months
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hi there! first of all, thank you for your blog!! it's really nice and idk, all those things you share with followers allow to have a better look at john and paul and their minds, which is precious! well, recently i've been searching for some discourse but failed to- so, it would be lovely to hear your opinion: a) does while my guitar gently weeps can be counted as an official™ mclennon song? ie to what extent it's a just frustrated song and to what - if any - it's about john and paul b) do you think george ever knew/suspected abt some shit between them? thank you in advance! and have a nice day/night 🤍
Hey! You're too sweet!
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I dunno if my nonsensical ramblings about the Two Fools is very perceptive of their minds... But I'm glad some of it gets y'all thinkin'.
To try and answer your questions... I have heard and seen the theory that the Beatles/George's song ''While my Guitar Gently Weeps'' is somehow or somewhat relating to the relationship John and Paul shared. Unfortunately, I'm not one of those fans/mclennoners who truly believes that the song was written with John and Paul in mind.
This song was, apparently, written during the spring of 1968, which we know is when the boys all went out to India to "find themselves" or what have you. We all have an idea what went down in India, or what didn't, at least between John and Paul while they'd holed up and shared a room together there for a good portion of the time.
We know how the trip ended, and how the rest of 1969 turned out as it led into 1969, the beginning of the end.
I'm not too knowledgeable about the reasoning behind the song that George has given, other than I know it was definitely influenced by their time over in India, and George's ever developing spiritualism.
At the time, George's ever growing frustration that John and Paul weren't taking his songwriting abilities seriously were also coming to a head.
In fact, why there may be the theory that ''While my Guitar Gently Weeps'' is considered a lowkey quote-unquote McLennonTM song is because of the fact that George was expressing open frustration towards The Beatles, but specifically John and Paul, and the relationship he expressly believed he had been barred from--that is, their collaborative relationship and partnership. George always felt left out by John and Paul, even though there's examples of the two trying to make attempts in recognizing George's talent and abilities throughout the years. That, and if you do listen to the lyrics with McLennon on the mind, the song does sound like it could be about John and Paul's relationship (and the Beatles relationship as a band as a whole) from George's perspective.
I don't think I'm making sense but to answer your second question might just bring it all together my thought process here, so stick with me!
I believe that George had an inkling, a suspicion, of the kind of relationship John and Paul had, but did not have a complete understanding of it, or simply did not want to have a complete and unfettered understanding of the depths that John and Paul's relationship transcended. I do think George was envious of the collabortive relationship between John and Paul, and always felt like the odd one out, or the one left to "play marbles" with Ringo, while it was often just John and Paul, running off and writing music together.
Sure, George was Paul's first friend and best friend as kids, playing guitars first together, growing up like brothers, but it was John that took Paul's confidante and partner. Sure, George at some point, sort of idolized John in that "he's older and cooler" type of way, y'know George and John buddies and pals, and often times clearly wanted John's approval and to be treated as an equal collaborator to John as Paul is, but he wasn't, and he couldn't be, simply because George wasn't Paul. Even when John was on his whole "I hate the Beatles I hate Paul" tirade after the divorce, and George was totally on John's side of it... No matter, George could not get the same treatment or placement beside John as the likes that Paul had held, and still held, all that time.
“George did have a slight inferiority complex, although nothing serious. Cyn remembers him always hanging around when she wanted John on his own. So does Astrid, when she was trying to be alone with Stu.”
— On George Harrison’s youth, The Beatles: The Only Ever Authorised Biography by Hunter Davies [x]
I believe George was definitely aware of the dynamics in the band, and very aware of John and Paul's relationship and partnership. To what extent in the relationship part... I couldn't say. Though, I do think George knew something was up, especially as the years went on...
HADDAD: Then, your musical ambitions didn’t really begin to take form until the two of you joined with John Lennon? GEORGE: Paul and John were the spark that ignited The Beatles. Of course, we weren’t The Beatles then, and we didn’t have Ringo, but that was the start. The air was filled with excitement, and even though we went through silly names like The Quarrymen Skiffle Group, The Moondogs, The Moonshiners, and The Silver Beatles, before evolving into that group everyone grew to know and love, the crucible was in 1967 [sic; 1957] when John and Paul became a duo.”
— George Harrison, interview w/ M. George Haddad for Men Only. (November, 1978) [x]
“I think everybody was in love with everybody else permanently during the Sixties, you know. I would have been surprised if any of our friends had not all been in love with each other. You know, there’s sex and there’s love. And I think the Sixties period, there was a genuine love for mankind, generally. I’m very liberal, actually, very liberal person. “
— George Harrison, radio interview excerpt [x]
Simply put, I personally don't believe ''As my Guitar Gently Weeps'' is about John and Paul's relationship, at least not directly, and if it was influenced by them, I would say it would have been an amalgamation of frustration from George's point of view towards his relationship with the Beatles, and with John and Paul's odd and exclusive relationship and partnership.
I do think George suspected something going on with John and Paul, between John and Paul, but to the extent that he was privy too? I couldn't say. George was aware of them though, especially if he truly believed that John and Paul officially became a duo in 1967 (which is THE peak McLennon year, fyi) so he wasn't oblivious.
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twothpaste · 2 months
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wellll i gotta ask about our boy Bronson wiiith 12, 21, 25??
YEAAA BRONSON!!!! (Putting answers below a readmore because they're long 🕺)
12. What's a headcanon you have for this character?
I assure y'all I'm very normal and not at all unwell regarding All The Shit I Made Up About Bronson. The blundering apocalyptic naval admiral who accidentally got his own fleet destroyed, defected like a coward, and never faced the consequences. Who tried to make amends by serving as the White Ship's captain, but never washed his hands of blood. Dude who has no clue how to navigate grief, 'cause he couldn't face it himself when folks who trusted him died on his watch. So wracked with subconscious guilt he just wants to stuff his head in an amnesiac hole and spend the rest of his days as a humble bumfuck Nowhere blacksmith. Again, normal about Bronson. Nothing to see here.
21. If you're a fic writer and have written for this character, what's your favorite thing to do when you're writing for this character? What's something you don't like?
I love making him lowkey pathetic when push comes to shove. He's a capable leader if things are running according to plan, an easygoing and sensible person generally, people do respect him, etc. But when faced with truly difficult dilemmas, he ends up floundering uselessly. Falls back on old habits, like feigning control over the situation, trying & failing to order people around, throwing up his hands and hoping everything works itself out. There's several situations in TSS where Bronson, despite all his barking bravado, is clearly the least effective team player - and it cracks me up! (Deep down, after a lifetime of shit flyin' disastrously off the handle despite his best efforts, he's painfully aware of how little control he really has… 🥲)
I'm having a hard time thinking of anything I don't like about writing him. He comes off a little stiff & stagnant sometimes I guess (granted I've been writing him at the grizzled & curmudgeonly age of 61 dfgdfhg). Not certain I've managed to convincingly convey the value he brings to his community, since he's often bumbling about, or giving lukewarm advice. In TSS I wanted him as a sort of linchpin, holding the whole operation together with his steady & familiar presence, even though he goofs up a lot? I've def had a lot of moments with him where it's been hard to thread that line, and I'm not sure I pulled it off. But even still, Bronson's never been unfun to handle as a character ❤️
25. What was your first impression of this character? How about now?
When I first played Mother 3 as a clueless little 17 or 18 year old, Bronson was one of the few Tazmilians who really stuck out in my mind. He leaves a pretty strong impression in Chapter 1, huh! Still in high school, I was embarrassingly bad at relating to or connecting with adult characters. But even back then - and definitely now - I think what I liked about him was how flawed he is, how human his writing felt. Dude tries so hard to help find Hinawa, ends up too late, and absolutely blunders like a jackass when it comes time to relay the news. He fucks up royally by throwing Flint in jail, too, but you can tell by the way he talks to Flint that he bears no ill will or animosity. Puts up no protest against the Pigmasks & Tazmily's industrialization, but he's one of the few villagers who remains neighborly as ever toward Lucas. He's really just some guy tryin' his best to do right by his community, handling shit in the only ways he knows how. His failures are so honest, I can't really bring myself to blame him too harshly. Throughout the game he always somehow feels like a trustworthy ally, even when he's just lounging on the beach while the world goes to hell. The most lovably ineffectual Real One ever.
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elvendorx · 4 months
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Can I ask you to talk more about ‘house in the woods’? I loooove toxic Jily like that’s the only version of them that compels me. I also love and have spoken a lot about how Jily compares to prongsfoot so I’d love to hear your thoughts on it
yeeeees it's the best version of them! i like it even more than like bickering friends at the mo. i've avoided jily for so long but i'd read 10000 jily divorce fics. they would both be so snappy and childish and having to have the last word. impeccable dynamic.
house in the woods is called that because i think it started from scene i had of lily always wanting a nice cottage, a cute little house in the woods, and then when she gets this isolated house and lifestyle, it's the cruelest iteration of her childhood fantasy and she realises that this domestic vision is not really what she wants at all. a lot of it i think will be lily's idealism slowly wilting but i also want to kind of weave in lowkey fairytale witch allusions. one thing i've recently thought of for this fic is lily sort of spying on james and sirius, coming up with charms to try and listen in on their conversations (because at some point in sirius' visits they lock themselves away) so there's this sense of lily like lurking
it's probably also going to be a lot about loneliness :( i think it will be about how being with james all the time and only seeing james in the house without sirius, and then seeing james in the house with sirius and the difference between those two situations will maybe make her feel like she never knew james that well, or she never saw his relationship with sirius in such stark contrast to her relationship with james and it's all these small moments leading up to (whether she perceives it romantically or not) that sirius is james' #1 and where the hell does that leave her?
i haven't written from lily's pov before which feels mad because she was a big original fave of mine but i'm loving getting into who she is and i also LOVE james and sirius from a third party's pov
ultimately jily vs j/s is no real comparison to me. firstly from a canon standpoint we just know so much more about james and sirius' bond. i started out reading jily when i got into hp fandom but there was just so much about james/sirius that i couldn't ignore. like when you think about how james and lily's started going out in their seventh year (1977) and died in 1981 that's four years from start to finish, whereas james and sirius have ten years of history by that point. and i know that time isn't always comparable but given what we know about the intensity of james and sirius' friendship, in this case i think it counts for a lot. and i think that james would always choose sirius first, always trust sirius at most. i don't really think there's anything that could unbolt that bond or surpass it. not that spouses and friends ever have to be in competition but..........sirius wins, i'm just saying.
anyway i haven't been on tumblr much recently because i've had deadlines and stuff but i'll have to catch up on your jily posts!
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n7punk · 1 year
Text
Hurricane Adora "Fic Notes"
There weren't supposed to be notes for this fic at all but I've never had control of myself ever so here's just some loose stuff.
- In the running joke that is my life, this was supposed to be a 4k one-shot just of Adora being a funny drunk and Catra reluctantly caring for her, with the implication at the end that their friendship will restart from this. Then my brain went "the best way to show that is a morning after scene" and then the morning after scene became two chapters and then-
- Adora, even going in on the drinking thing, wasn't stupid enough to drink the "sugar syrup shit". She smelled like that from the drink spilled on her.
- Adora wasn't supposed to have said a ton of shit overnight. Catra just said that thing about sex in the stairwell and it was off. After that became the plot I considered including a flashback interlude for it but by then I'd already written enough summary of it that it just felt repetitive and uninteresting, and since the flashback would have to be after chapter 3 to avoid spoilers, it would just be weird timing to have it there and then wrap up the fic immediately after.
- It got cut because it was wayyyy too long and super slowed the conversation down but Adora is familiar with fights and a god in bed because she was lowkey a slut in college. A few of the girls she messed around with had boyfriends (they were figuring their sexualities out and the pretty public soccer star was an easy dyke to find) and those boyfriends tried to cause trouble. Adora had a few lowkey scuffles, but she's built and often had one or more teammates as backup (once, literally all of them) so she never had any real issues. She didn't know beforehand any of the girls were in relationships, but it wasn't terribly betraying when she found out since they were just hookups, she was more annoyed they made her the other woman - hence why she was very open about what happened, because she isn't going to let herself be cast as a cheater/homewrecker, but of course that only annoyed the boyfriends more.
- Despite being the reason Adora wandered away, Catra says Adora would have been wandering the streets if she "hadn't come around" because it was very possible Adora never found her. Adora just kind of walked down the street in the direction she thought Catra went when she lifted her head and realized she wasn't in the Waffle House anymore (she considered running after her for a minute, but moped around eating her food until she realized her phone was still there, which gave her the only excuse she needed).
- Catra's "backup plan" is to use her experience to go into boring middle management, but she only ever mentions it as a joke about Entrapta's recklessness.
- The backstory for this fic is that Catra and Adora both started in Weaver's home as babies, but Adora was fostered with intent to adopt by Hope when they were about ten. They then immediately began conspiring to get Catra out of there too because being on her own in the home was miserable. They ended up turning to Lonnie, who had a Contentious relationship with Catra, but a few years before she had ended up in Shadow's foster care as a bullshit seize and her family managed to get her back after a few months. She'd been exposed to Shadow and so - kinda reluctantly - talked her parents into helping Catra out. Catra and Adora being in pretty safe places - Adora still under a lot of pressure from Hope but not abused and Catra being in a family that was good but she didn't always get along with and could barely afford to have her, meaning she was on her own for a lot of things - is part of why they were able to convince themselves that the other didn't need them. They were like, well fine, her life is happy (enough), she doesn't need me like she did when we made that promise. For Catra this was a very bitter thought, about how she meant it for forever and clearly Adora didn't, and for Adora this was a justification that Catra would be alright without her.
- Hope had some insane expectations for Adora, but she also genuinely thought Adora was a lot happier than she was. She thought soccer was the most important thing to Adora, when really Adora just had some fun with it (at first) and thought it was important to Hope so she did her best to live up to it. Adora was still traumatized from being Weaver's ward and trying desperately to do anything to please her, and especially anything that gave her a shot at independence in case Hope turned on her when she inevitably slipped and couldn't meet her high expectations. Ultimately, she never failed Hope's expectations (occasionally not doing as well as Hope wanted, sure, but never failing completely) so she never had to find out what would have happened, but she and Hope still talk on the holidays and sometimes Adora even visits, so she has gotten to a better place with her where she has realized yeah, Hope would have been upset, but she wouldn't have sent her back to Weaver or whatever if she failed. After the soccer camp Adora kind of had a breakdown asking if she was going to have to do this every summer when she had already gotten her scholarship, and Hope just went "... Do you... not want to?" because it had literally never occurred to her that soccer had started as something fun for Adora and become a job that was kind of killing her. That was the big thing that helped Adora feel a little better about their relationship.
- Adora got back to a good place with soccer by the end of college, but it was never the same as it was back in middle school before it became a weight around her neck. She wasn't sad to leave all of that behind. She doesn't want to be on a team anymore, or to have to worry about letting them or herself down. She still enjoys kicking a ball around with her friends sometimes, though.
- After Adora realized she was gay, she realized other people knew before she did. Not like, everyone, but her friends knew and some of her classmates suspected. Hope was kind of confused when Adora came out because she didn't realize she wasn't out, but she did her best to accept it with grace once she realized what was going on. Adora also realized, given the way Catra talked over the years, that she had known Adora was also gay. She didn't figure out that Catra had a crush on her, but one revelation at a time.
- When Adora says "I had a panic attack that night because I realized… Well, my ‘friends’ sucked, as you said, and it made me realize how much I missed you." what she's actually saying is "I realized I loved you" because of how she felt for Catra, especially in contrast to the people currently in her life.
- I liked the kind of role reversal of Adora's promise being something filthy and Catra's being about emotions and closure. It's also not a reversal at all because Adora was promising filth of her own accord and making Catra promise they could talk, so really they were both Adora's promise, but shhhh.
- Entrapta's backstory is kind of really sad in this, but her parents are alive, they were just absolutely never around so she grew up in a mostly empty house. She was really lonely when she met Scorpia in high school and their friendship is one of the reasons she decided to go to university despite Mega not needing to. As soon as she graduated she basically became the entire R&D department at her parent's company because they were tuned in enough to know how brilliant she was (and she had been working for them in a regular researcher position for a while). As she got more responsibility in the company leading up to being made R&D head, though, the more business-focused stuff was getting harder to manage (actually the same difficulty, there was just more of it, and it was frustrating both for her and the people in the meetings they thought she "wasn't taking seriously") so she asked Catra to help her with that stuff, and Catra needed a job, so she agreed. Catra basically took over all functions of Entrapta's role that involved business, logistics, communication, managing, etc and freed Entrapta up to experiment as much as she wanted. On the company directory, Entrapta is the head of R&D and Catra is her assistant, but everybody who interacts with R&D on a regular basis knows you go to Catra, not Entrapta. Catra would never push to be the actual head of R&D because she doesn't want Entrapta's parents to be disappointed. She has a low opinion of them but she wants them to be as proud of Entrapta as they can be because Entrapta deserves that. Catra and Scorpia are closer to her family than anyone else, though. Catra does eventually get made the head of R&D after she represents the department to four board meetings in a row and people have to ask. Where the fuck is Entrapta. Catra spins it as Entrapta being their best researcher (true) and attending meetings like this would actually cost the company money when she could be in the lab (true, except when she blows stuff up), at which point her parents shift kind of uncomfortably as pretty much the whole room picks up on the nepotism vibe (something they avoided until now because of how fucking brilliant she is justifying everything). With all the employees who directly interact with R&D knowing that Catra is the real head and a few people asking questions now, her parents actually come down to the lab (for one of the only times Ever) and find out Entrapta hasn't "managed" anything in years, if ever, something Entrapta brightly informs them of not really picking up on the vibe of the questioning until they get pointed and Entrapta just gets quiet for a moment and then says "I want to experiment. I don't want to deal with people who don't understand me. Catra's better at that stuff than I ever could be, anyway" and then flips down her welding mask and turns away, welding over anything else they could say. Like two weeks later they are informed over email that Entrapta has been "demoted" to the head researcher and Catra is now the head of R&D itself. Their pay rates and actual responsibilities don't change at all, so it doesn't really matter, but Entrapta actually feels a bit better to not have those expectations lingering in the background. Every now and then she would still have to go to a meeting (like the board meetings early on, where she actually loved presenting but found the sitting around part miserable) or deal with some other management responsibility and she was finally free of that and the mental weight of knowing the emails in her inbox from her parents weren't really for her, but for this construct they had fashioned of her in their heads where she did all of this.
- Scorpia's role in the company is something like "Lab assistant," which basically translates to hauling shit and putting out fires, or holding things with Entrapta needs four "hands." She also keeps an eye on Entrapta in the morning when Catra isn't at work (on a flex schedule to work the afternoon and evening due to being a partially nocturnal species. The original idea for the Waffle House AU was actually that she worked a night job and that's why she was there so late at night). It's only partially nepotism that she's there - finding people who can work closely with Entrapta, not inconvenience her, not get frustrated with her, and also convince her not to do something like build a sentient robot with lasers, is pretty fucking difficult and both Scorpia and Catra filled that role. Bow will be good at it too.
- Catra has talked about her work and named Entrapta and Scorpia (from work and college stories) but she never said the name of the company she worked for and honestly, given Entrapta's range of interests, she could have worked in a couple different industries from the stories. Catra doesn't know the name of Adora's clinic either. It just hasn't come up. Adora, meanwhile, has mentioned Glimmer and Bow a lot, but she hasn't shown Catra any pictures or anything. Catra doesn't use social media after Entrapta went on a six-hour infodump about data collection and what all those companies are doing (which wasn't even about ethics, just informational). Besides, her circle is small and she isn't looking to expand it, so that's fine. She just sends pictures of her cat to the group chat. On Bow's end, he knew he was interviewing for Dryl Industries but Catra reached out using Entrapta's email since she was the name he would recognize so he hadn't heard Catra's name before walking in the room and immediately going "There's no way there's more than one magicat with mismatched eyes and piercings like that in Bright- And her name's Catra. Yeah, definitely" (because Adora had gushed about Catra's everything before even without pictures). Adora hadn't retold any stories featuring Entrapta by name to Bow, so he didn't have any reason to think twice about that. Catra was the only one who could have put it all together, but she already talks about why she didn't in the fic. I also want to be clear it wasn't a like "she should be privileged to knowing his trans" thing, she just legitimately looked at his profile and saw an out and proud trans person, so she figured it would have somehow come up in some story Adora told since clearly he wouldn't have minded people knowing/friends mentioning it.
- Bow is waiting until he and Glimmer get married to change his legal name because it is a fucking HASSLE to do, much less do twice if he takes her name (which is how they're leaning right now considering her family Has A Name and is old money. She's going to keep it for herself so he's likely to change his).
- It didn't really make sense for Adora to go home with Mermista and Sea Hawk, but it made sense for her to not be alone so no one really questioned it.
- Bow was used to shots from T, which is why he helped Adora out with hers. Which like, is one of those things where if she had mentioned it Catra would have know, but it didn't really occur to her.
- Like six weeks in is incredibly fast to give someone your key, but Catra was basically factoring all the years of their friendship up until that into her decision and just spent the last month making sure she was sure of Adora and that Adora was (mostly) the same person. She had no qualms about it.
- Catra thinks she's incredibly smooth and such a cool girl in this AU and like, yeah she's not totally wrong, but she's also a smitten idiot and everybody can see through her persona (except Adora sometimes but she's also smitten so she's forgiven). She can be the mom friend at times, she'll just insult you while she's going and look over it.
Kinda epilogue/world stuff. Adora is still... well neither friends nor family really applies with Hope, but she does usually visit her at Winterfest and calls her at other times of the year. Hope is really proud of her for how far she has come and she is pleased when Adora tells her she has reconnected with Catra. That first holiday together they go back to their hometown (like an hour outside Bright Moon) and stay with Hope, also visiting Lonnie's family. Catra brings a lot of presents for them. She likes to give them gifts now to "make up" for how much trouble she caused them, both by being a nightmare and a big financial strain. They weren't going to send her back unless they really couldn't provide for their family anymore, though, and they accept the gifts now even though they remind her she doesn't have to. It makes Catra feel better, though. Again, they aren't friends and maybe not even family (it's more like a relationship with a neighbor who babysat you when your parents went on trips or something), but they're something and Catra does call and visit them sometimes, though not as much as Adora keeps up with Hope. Lonnie stayed in town and they always bicker when they see each other, but it's mostly playful now.
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kamari333 · 6 months
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Fic asks? Don't mind if I do! :D
🏅 What is the fic you’re most proud of?
🤡 What’s the dumbest thing you’ve written?
From this ask meme <3
🏅 What is the fic you're most proud of?
"Resonance" (which i still need to re-tag) hands down. It's not the best fic I've ever written (i think Burlesque surpasses it a little in terms of flow and consistency, and my D3 Anthologies in tone execution and ambiance), but I consider Resonance to be my Magnum Opus, my Masterpiece.
It was not only the first fic I did for the Undertale fandom, but also the one I have the strongest sentimentality to. I met my closest friends through that fic. I reconnected with lost family thanks in part to that fic. I wouldn't be here today if not for writing it. It got me through one of the darkest years of my life, and I'll never let myself forget that.
🤡 What's the dumbest thing you've written?
Okay so when Kam was a tiny stupid inexperienced teenager back in the early 2000s, Kam was introduced to FF.net. And Kam got all excited and experimented with a lot of different writing styles and fandoms.
One of the fics I wrote before I had to stop and give all my spoons to College was a re-write of the Legend of Zelda TV series (if you know, you know). I only really wrote one "chapter" of it, and it was just a bunch of lyrics and script-like scene directions, because my idea of a good Zelda TV show at the time had been as a disney-like musical.
I still cringe. I kinda lowkey wanna go back and continue it. It's so dumb. XD Well, most of my fic attempts pre-2017 were dumb. But I think that was the dumb-est.
It's still on FF.net. If the site ever goes down I'll have to archive it on AO3 for posterity.
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misteria247 · 1 year
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Here's some of my fanfics that I've written that I'm super proud of personally-
Universal Collision: My Tmnt/Rottmnt crossover fic. It's one of my personal favorites that I'm incredibly proud of. Despite it not having many chapters, I'm thrilled with what I've gotten down so far!
Of Love and Heartbreak: One of my Lupin III fanfics. It's a oneshot involving my favorite OT5 as well as a character study on Jigen Daisuke. Mainly the aspect of his love life and how his past effected him currently in the present. It's also one of my longest oneshots and I'm super proud of it!
The Roles We Play: Another Lupin III fanfic as well as my first one for the fandom ever. It's a fic that again is an OT5 kind of thing but instead it focuses mainly on the LupZeni/LupJig/JigZeni pairings. It also features an injured Zenigata and a feral Lupgang of which I love and adore.
The Princess and Her Dragon: A reader x Malleus fic for Twisted Wonderland. Basically it's a romance story that's got a twist in it. The main protagonist is actually a reincarnated princess who breaks a powerful spell that has been placed on Malleus and his group. Lowkey incredibly proud of this one.
The Dragon's Son: Also another reader x Malleus story but with the reader having grown up and leaving Twisted Wonderland. The reader accidentally takes something more with her though and six years later, she returns to Twisted Wonderland with her beloved son Elliott. Pretty pleased with this one.
My EngIta Week submissions: I'd been asked to join a Hetalia rare pair week last year and had a blast writing for it! I'm honestly incredibly pleased with how my little stories turned out!
These ones are the ones that I'm most proud of and are the ones that I put a lot of effort into them. While I'm proud of all my stuff, it's these ones that I feel like are some of my best written stuff that I've ever published within my lifetime.
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kachwoww · 2 years
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More Jegulus Recs because i'm an addict
the shrine of your lies (is where i lay) by Kayaannii Prince!James meets Assassin!Regulus… v well written, and very fun! This is wolfstar as well! Not super long yet but from what I've read so far, there will be a lot of Black Brother Angst in the future. Slight warning, explicit like graphic, also there's very much a knife kink so if you're not into that this prob won't be for you!
l'éphémère (the ephemeral) by @anouri James hits Regulus with a motorcycle. Not the most common meet cute but they make it work. I'm 90% sure I've already recced this oh well. If you like Best Friend's Brother, you'll like this. Sirius and Regulus will make you cry in the most recent chapter. There are a couple pretty intense things in here, so make sure to thoroughly read the tags! I’ve been keeping up w this fic for a while and it one of my favs so I hope y’all read it!!
You, Me & Everyone Else by ygmoony I was grinning the entire time I read this fic. It is wolfstar and jegulus... but Remus & Regulus steal. the. show. They're just so...? I don't even have the words they're literally best friends your honour. I cannot wait for the next chapter, and for the chaos of the plot to kick in because I'm already OBSESSED. I think I’ve seen maybe one person mention this fic and it’s my personal mission to spread it, I’m in love w it
friday night lumieres by raiyag This one has blown up recently so I had to give it a read. I like it! It's very different from a lot of marauders fics, it's American high school au, centred around sports (and sports med). Very fun read. I liked the miscommunication between Regulus and Sirius. It is marked as explicit, even though from what I remember there hasn't been anything yet, remember all characters are in high school so keep that in mind!
For the Hope of it All by Bastetmoon (@alexaryebread) Yall. YALL. This is my fav fic on the list and that is saying something. It's basically a jegulus august au (the taylor swift love triangle) and I cannot (cannot) get enough. I was kicking my feet and giggling the entire time I read this. Every single character in this fic is a MESS and I love them all. Not a single one of them makes a good choice at any point ever and it is so entertaining, there is not a brain cell to be found. In other words, it's actually a pretty realistic representation of high school. It is very early 2000s teen tv show, like riverdale(season 1 anyways). It is so cute, and I cannot wait till it updates!!!
a matter of time by reggiecanswim
Ok I had to rewrite this summary because this fic has updated a lot. There will be spoilers so if you don’t want that, just know it’s an absolutely fan fucking tastic fic, and I highly recommend it. So it’s semi canon compliant. It follows the marauders (plus regulus) through most of hogwarts and that part is very much child/teen hood friendship, relationship drama and is pretty light. It gets darker in the last year (Regulus’ 6th, the marauders 7th) the prank is also featured and it’s incredibly well done, on par with choices’ handling of the prank in my opinion. Then the war. Regulus becomes a death eater and defects, is a double agent for a while gets caught and tortured has a very traumatic brain injury recovers, and has to live with the potters while he recovers. James lowkey cheats on Lily with him by the end. Ok not lowkey he does. I don’t condone this, and honestly I think it’s out of character for James but it is well written and enjoyable to read so if you aren’t into that don’t read it. After that canon… fixes itself. They find out peters the spy too late james and Lily die, Sirius goes to kill Peter and brings regulus with him, and Peter kills regulus along with the muggle (and frames Sirius for all the murders as well as his own death.) so yeah regulus does die. I was a little disappointed by this because I haven’t seen many regulus!lives fics that follow him into the canon story and see how his presence changes things but again it was well written, and I even cried so I can’t really complain. I think there’s one more chapter left so I’ll update when that comes out. Side note, I’m curious to see if they’ll add regulus to Sirius’ victims count or they’ll say he was a part of the plot to kill Peter (and the muggle) and died in the process, probably leaning toward the later because he was a death eater but the former would be very interesting.
You Missed My Heart by pinkpanther1465
Criminal minds au!!! The characters don’t line up exactly, but James is Reid, Remus is Hotch but it’s established wolfstar. Very cute but sort of sad, updates are pretty frequent and it’s different than a lot of jegulus fics I’ve read!
love is not a predicate by mordax
Yall this is the boarding school fic to end all boarding school fics. I literally read all of it (it’s over 100k rn) in like 3 hours with almost no breaks. I ate this shit up. Pandora and Reg are the bestest, and JAMES? He has my whole heart. He just wants to listen to the piano. But the real star of this fic is the absolute perfect representation of Sirius and Regulus’ relationship and their whole family being the worst. It’s just great you need to read it.
En Avant by bluerosebouquet (@sortasirius)
The best depiction of grief I've read in a fic so far. I usually don't like jegulus fics where Lily dies, because the writer is always so eager to get to the jegulus they just brush over Jily, this fic doesn't do that. Like not at all. It's also very sad, but in a happy way? That didn't make sense. You'll cry by chapter 2, but it's not soul crushing depressing. Is that better? As of now the Sirius & Regulus relationship is looking unfixable, I really hope that changes, because I love them and I'd love to see this author's take on their dynamic, and also I really want the specific backstory for their falling out. I put reading this one off for a while because it's very long but I finished it in like 4 hours, maybe less actually, you really get right through it. ANyways go read it and tell them they're amazing.
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